Twisted Elements
by beemera
Summary: Aang comes close to losing everything he loves. What desperate lengths will he go to to get it all back? Darker than the ATLA we all know and love - you have been warned. Rated M for violence, language and lemony goodness. DISCLAIMER: I do not own ATLA or any of its characters. DISCONTINUED. UP FOR ADOPTION.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: First fanfic, so be kind! rated M to be safe for later chapters. Darker than the ATLA we're used to, but thats the point of fanfic, right? :)

The midmorning sun shone brightly off the calm lake into Aang's eyes as he scanned the shoreline for any hint of shimmering brown hair. The GAang had been camped out near this Earth kingdom lake for almost a week, replenishing their food and water supply before heading towards the western shores. There have been reports of violent upheavals between small Earth Kingdom villages and the fire benders who once controlled them. It had been seven long and tiresome years since Aang confronted the Phoenix King on the day of the comet. Seven years of trying to clean up the mess of a hundred year long war he had been buried in ice for. Seven years of frustration. Seven years since he shared a life changing kiss with Katara on the balcony of Iroh's tea shop.

Aang sighed, not finding any trace of Katara. Slowly, he made his way to the beach and sat down at the water's edge, watching the natural ebb and flow of the water. Calming and soothing, like a balm. Crossing his legs and rearranging his robes, he rested his hands in his lap and closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his nose. With each breath he felt his spine straighten but his muscles relax and he was able to drift off into blissful nothingness. It was short lived, however. Rustling behind his right shoulder alerted him, but he kept his eyes shut and his breathing steady, ready for any attack. The sound got closer and closer and he registered the slight crunch of feet on sandy soil. He tensed, knowing that although a large percentage of villages in this area were now free from Fire Nation ruling, the forests that surrounded them were home to renegade fire bending soldiers, known as the Huo Gang. Nothing but thieves and murderers, Aang thought.

The sound became clearer, the person having cleared the low brush that circled the lake. They must have spotted him sitting on the beach, his shaved head and arrow tattoos on display. Clearly the Avatar, Master of the Four Elements. He blinked open his eyes as he heard a soft curse. A _female's_ curse. Aang twisted his body to look at his new companion. Toph, his blind Earth bending Master. Now 19 years old and stubborn as a bull-mule. She turned to leave.

"Toph? Everything okay?" he asked.

Toph spun on her heel and headed towards him before sitting down next to him with an unladylike grunt. Drawing her knees up and resting her head on her knees, she turned milky eyes towards him and sighed, long and weary.

"Yeah, Twinkle Toes. Everything is just grand." Her voice laced with sarcasm and a hint of annoyance. "By the way, nice work on the breathing. Even I couldn't tell if you were meditating or not."

_Odd_, he thought. _But then again, Toph is always cantankerous about something._ If she couldn't find something that annoyed her, then she would go out of her way to annoy everyone else, especially Sokka who was now 22 and the self-proclaimed leader of 'Team Avatar.' The irony wasn't lost on Aang.

"You know you can talk to me, Toph. What's bothering you?"

"Its just…" she looked unsure of how to continue. "Its just that sometimes I feel Sokka treats me like the porcelain doll my parents thought I was. It's so frustrating. I may be blind but I can see better than anyone else in the group. For example, I can see the bottom of this lake and _feel_ how many creatures live on the bottom." She flicked her hand at the direction of the lake, seeming lost, then turned to Aang with her signature scowl on her face. "Can _you_ see over the mountains, Oh Mighty Avatar?" she asked with cynicism.

Aang opened his mouth to reply but Toph held up her hand to silence him.

"It was a rhetorical question, Aang. So… What's got you out here staring at nothing?"

Aang ignored the fact that she changed the subject so suddenly.

Aang sighed. "Three guesses, Toph."

She grunted, knowing already to what he referred to. Katara. Or, at the moment, lack of, he thought.

He frowned. He hadn't seen her all morning. He wondered where she had gotten to, and for a moment began to worry, but shoved that feeling away. He knew Katara could take care of herself, being the rational and calm one in most situations. Then he remembered their stolen kisses during the night while the rest of the group slept soundly in their tents. He smiled to himself.

"You really need to watch what you think about around me Aang. I can feel your heartbeat speed up. So far as I know, only one person does that. And it's not Momo."

Toph's observation made Aang's cheeks tinge pink.

"I wasn't…" he trailed off as Toph arched a black brow at him. He shut his mouth.

"No use lying, Twinkle Toes." She tapped her feet. "I can _feel_ your lies."

They sat in silence for a while. Aang stared towards the lakes distant shore and Toph had the palm of her hand on the ground, no doubt 'seeing' a lot more than him.

His mind constantly wandered between worrying for Katara and her whereabouts and the upheavals he would soon be dealing with. He spoke briefly to Master Piandao who was helping with restoring order to the fishing villages that dotted the western shores. From his intel, there was one major cell of fire benders that were controlling all the attacks and murders. And they're getting more violent by the day. More and more attacks were being coordinated simultaneously, stretching the peacekeepers thin. Master Piandao and Aang both agreed that the cells leader would have to be ex-army, maybe an admiral or captain by rank. The speed and brutality of the attacks and the quality or weapons they use also suggest a rich benefactor, someone from inside the Earth Kingdom with resources and money to burn.

A majority of the noble Earth Kingdom families have supported Aang's struggle to restore peace, so finding said benefactor will be difficult. Even the Beifong family, Toph's parents, have expressed their support publicly for Aang. Seeing as their daughter is now the most powerful earth bender and the inventor of metal bending, it would be foolish of them to try to hide her away again. She _did_ help the Avatar save the world, after all. She was also well developed in her sand bending since the ordeal in Wan Shi Tongs Spirit Library.

While he was deep in his troubling thoughts, Toph swung her arm to collect him firmly in his shoulder, almost knocking him sideways.

"Ow! Toph, what was that for?!"

She just shrugged and focused her blank, milky stare on the lake. Or, what he thought was the lake. Seeing nothing but black through her sightless eyes, Toph would miss out on seeing the colours of nature. She wouldn't know what Aang looked like, or Sokka and Katara. She would never see the face of her children or lover.

_She really is quite beautiful_, thought Aang. His heart, body and soul would always belong to Katara, but hearing Toph always put herself down about her appearance, or what she assumed she looked like, really frustrated him but he knew she secretly cared about her looks. Toph had literally let her hair down since he first met her. As a 12 year old girl, she wore her hair in a bun, with her fringe falling in front of her eyes and a green head band with white pom poms. Now she wore it in a low ponytail, her fringe still hanging in her face and no pom poms on her green headband. She had only grown to be about five foot five, a full head short of Aang, who went through a growth spurt at the age of 14.

Her earth bending kept her fit, albeit covered in 'a healthy coating of earth.' She had womanly curves now. Aang only knew this because of their many years of travelling together. Being a young man, he couldn't help but notice. Sokka couldn't help it either, much to Suki's annoyance. Aang could almost hear the argument between the couple now. Suki would get huffy, Sokka would apologise and say something incredibly stupid and Suki would storm off. Four hours later they're sorting it out in their tent. Loudly.

_Young love_, thought the young Avatar.

"Toph, you can't feel Katara anywhere, can you? She's been gone most of the morning and no one knows where."

Toph let out an exasperated sigh, and stood up, a few joints popping as she stretched. She spread her feet wide and got into a solid position. She raised her left leg and brought it firmly down onto the sandy shore, heel first.

"The lake is making my sight a bit fuzzy, but Katara is in an alcove to the east of here. If you want to kiss and make up, Twinkle Toes, I suggest you do it quickly. We have company."

Her expression turned dangerous in the blink of an eye.

Aang leaped up and put his legs into overdrive, heading east. Sand was kicking up beneath his feet, forming a cloud behind him. He covered about a quarter of the lakes vast shoreline before he slowed. Relief rushed through him when he saw Katara, knee deep in water in a small but airy alcove, about a hundred feet away. A small waterfall flowed gently behind her, spilling into the lake. She was practicing her bending.

He slowed to a stop, gazing at her. She was so graceful, so beautiful. She wore only her bindings and under skirt, her bronze skin slightly glistening from the mist of the fall. Water snaked around her waist as she swayed her hands in front of her. When she spotted him, the water shivered and dropped into the lake with a splash. She was still mad. Her expression wasn't quite thunderous but it wasn't warm and fuzzy either. Her blue eyes shot daggers at him. He jogged the distance between them.

"Aang, I told you already. I don't want-"

"We have company." He interrupted. She turned serious in a second, and nodded slightly. As Aang turned, he heard the water splash around her legs as she made her way to shore. He took off in a light jog and was just about to turn around to see if she was following when something slapped him hard on his rear. He yelped and turned around, rubbing his now red cheek. Katara had bended the water off of herself and water whipped him. He narrowed his eyes and she raised her perfect eyebrow in a 'what-are-you-gonna-do-about-it?' look. Taking a deep breath, he turned and continued jogging, Katara following closely behind.

"Was that really necessary?" he asked.

"Consider it payback." She replied.

They picked up the pace and soon they were at their camp site. A small clearing overlooking the lake, pine trees behind them. Sokka and Suki were racing around the campsite, packing up their gear and supplies while Toph vaulted them into Appa's saddle.

Aang saw a large column of smoke coming out from the trees a few hundred feet away.

Thugs. Murderers. _Fire benders_. He could hear them whooping in excitement already. They were close. Very close. Katara and Aang helped gather the last of the supplies, tossing them up to Sokka and Suki who had clambered onto Appa.

"Here they come!" yelled Sokka, who was pointing towards the tree line.

Toph vaulted the last tent into Appa's saddle as a group of five fire benders broke into the clearing, two of them sending rapid fire punches. One fireball landed at Appas feet, causing the gargantuan beast to recoil in fear with a panicked roar. Aang deflected the second blast aimed at Toph and Katara with a blade of air just as the rest of the gang released a surge of fire.

Aang knew he had to finish this fight quickly if they had any hope of getting away. He glanced back and saw Sokka and Suki trying to calm down Appa enough for Toph and Katara to climb on, but the air bison was too wild, backing further away into the forest on the opposite side of the meadow. Facing the fire benders again, Aang dropped onto his back and swung his legs around his body, sending gust after gust of air towards the thugs. Four of the fire benders were blown into tree trunk with a satisfying thump.

The fifth tumbled end over end into the forest, landing in a thorn bush. All five would-be muggers were knocked unconscious, but Aang knew it wasn't for long. Two of them were already starting to stir, groaning and trying to lift their heads. Aang spun and reached out to Katara and Toph, who still hadn't managed to climb onto Appa, even though he was more settled now that the fire was nowhere near him and the causes of said fire were far enough away. He looped his arms around Toph and Katara, one female under each arm, and leapt into Appas saddle with a quick burst of air. Taking the reins, he turned Appa around so he was facing the lake. The fire benders could set fire to the trees as they flew over, so the lake seemed the safest option. "Appa, yipyip!" The bison growled and lifted its wide tail, ready to pound the earth and lift into the air.

"Look out, Aang!" Sokka shouted, just as he noticed that one gang member was awake and ready to procure fire from his fingertips.

It all happened so fast. Two fire balls were released, grazing Appas face. Sokka release his boomerang and struck the fire bender in the temple, making him drop, unconscious and bleeding. Appa reared upwards and everyone in the saddle scrambled to grab onto something to keep from falling out. Almost everyone succeeded. Katara flew backwards, smacking her head into the low railing of the saddle before tumbling out and thumping to the ground unconscious. Appa slammed his tail down and lifted vertically in the air, unwittingly leaving Katara behind.

"NO!" Aang and Sokka cried in unison.

"Appa! We have to drop down! We have to get Katara!" Aang shouted to his animal guide, but the bison would hear none of it as more volleys of fire were spat into the air after them.

Appa flew towards the lake to safety, while Aang frantically tried to reach his glider to get to Katara, to keep her safe. Someone handed him his staff, he didn't care who, all the while his eyes never left Katara's motionless body. He watched the fire benders dash to her, heart filled with rage. They would try to take her away from him? She was _his_.

He snapped his glider open and jumped into a vertical plummet. One of the fire benders, he assumed the leader, hoisted Katara over his shoulder, a sick smile plastered on his face. Aang levelled out his glider, his toes barely avoiding contact with the hard ground. As he got closer to the gang, who were now retreating into the forest, he thought he heard them whoop and exclaim how much fun they were going to have with their new prize. He saw the man who held Katara slap her behind, not removing his hand, instead groping her unconscious form. Red coloured Aang's vision.

When he was close enough to the forests edge, he retracted his glider and landed, making sure he shook the ground in rage with his earth bending. They took what was his. The tremors wracked the trees, frightened wildlife and forced the gang to tumble and land on their knees. Katara was unceremoniously dropped to the ground, her head bouncing off a rock. A small bead of crimson welled on her temple and slipped down her jaw. Aang followed the line of crimson and his anger increased to a fever pitch. The fire benders turned to face him as one, fire in their palms and fear in their eyes. He stalked closer to them, his heart pounding and his blood boiling. Pure power floods his system, filling every muscle fibre and taking over every cell. His arrow tattoos began to glow a bright iridescent blue. He felt more knowledgable, prepared for any attack. For every fire blast they shot at him, he would return the pain tenfold. They took what was his.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: okay, so i have a penchant for cliff hangers so i expect you all to get used to them. Hate me if you want, but i love being on the edge of my seat at the end of a chapter :) enjoy!

Hoy Shi was a cut throat, a prison escapee. Even though he was a fire bender and could hand out the fiery punishment, his preferred weapon of choice was the blade. Fire was all consuming and could blink out life in an instant. There was no peak, no satisfaction. He didn't get off by burning people to a crisp. That's not to say he didn't_ like_ burning them severely, he just liked to watch the life drain out of his victims still-hopeful eyes. So many emotions flicker over people's faces when they die by the blade.

Shock, awareness, defeat, courage, and then hopelessness. It was like music. Rising and falling in one big concert of blood and body parts. It gave him a hard on every time having so much control over such an insignificant life. That's why he joined the Huo Gang. An underground cell of fire nation loyalists who crave the control they once had. He could bend anyone to his will by saying a few artful threats, maybe a sprinkle of physical punishment.

The men he was assigned feared him and he loved to be feared by them. When he heard that the Avatar and his companions were in his territory trying to restore peace. He could give those pathetic earth kingdom villagers hope, and that was _not_ an option. They would defy him. He and four of his most skilled and trusted men scouted the group since dawn, finding out their weaknesses and holes in their defences.

Having the Avatar was certainly an advantage, that's why the companions needed to be separated. They stayed low and quiet, using the trees as a highway. Rumour had it that the blind earth bender that was with them could feel vibrations. If they stuck to the trees, any vibrations they gave off would be mistaken for a pack of wolf bats. They were common to this area. About an hour after dawn, his men were getting antsy. The group started to stir and wake, the Avatar restarting the fire with some kindling and a shot of fire from his fingertips. As the fire began to burn with more fervour, Hoy Shi noticed that the great sky bison subtly backed away from it, warily, cautiously, almost scared. _Interesting_.

Hoy Shi's fingers itched to wrap his hands around the water tribe girl's neck. She's definitely a looker, he thought. He would kiss her as he stole the life from her. The thought made his cock go rock hard. He'd take what he couldn't get freely from the fearful village girls, but the water tribe peasant definitely caught his eye. Bronze skin and blue eyes. Yes, he would love for those eyes to well up as he fucked her with a knife to her throat. By mid-morning, their quarry had split up.

The prickly one and the other young male, who had to be water tribe judging by his colouring, stayed in camp to do various chores while the blind girl stalked off by herself. _The rumours are true then_, he thought as he watched her knowingly calculate unfamiliar terrain, avoiding bushes and trees. Any large rocks in her path she just literally kicked aside. The water tribe girl and the Avatar wandered down to the water's edge to do some bending, but that was short lived. They were too far away for him and his men to hear the conversation, but soon enough the girls face went red in anger. He watched her, fascinated. Would she be that angry once he told her all the things he would want her to do? He hoped so.

Struggling always made for a more fun game. She would scream in pain and it would be music to his ears. For the hundredth time since he laid eyes on her, his cock pulsed and went rigid. As she got angry, the water behind the girl got more violent, frothing and bubbling to mirror her turbulent emotions. Soon enough, water exploded upwards to punctuate what he assumed was pretty venomous words. The Avatar was staring at her blankly, taking in every word before she turned on her heel and stomped off.

_That little bitch needs discipline_, he thought, and soon his mind was soon filled with images of her submission, being shackled and gagged, completely at his mercy and in fear of her life. Fucking the Avatars squeeze would be like heaven on earth.

The sun climbed higher into the sky.

Close to noon, he turned and smirked at his men. It was time to move. At once they slid from the trees, grappling the trunks with one hand while slowing their descent with fire from the other, not caring what got set aflame. Black billowing smoke rose from the scorched grass and shrubs all around them. He and his men neared the camp, yelling and whooping in excitement and setting fire to more foliage. Just as they neared the clearing, the water tribe girl and the Avatar sprinted into camp. Acting quickly, two of his men sent balls of fire towards the group. One landed near the bison, making it back away in fear. The other was extinguished by the young airbender. Protecting his companions, the Avatar dropped down and swung his legs in a circular motion, a surge of air knocking Hoy Shi end over end into a thorn bush. Stars spotted his vision briefly and when his eyesight cleared, he saw the large bison readying to lift into the air. One of his men, who was shaking off the fog of unconsciousness, sent two speedy fire blasts that grazed the beasts muzzle, only to be struck down by a boomerang aimed with killer accuracy. As the great sky bison lifted into the air in a panic, the water bender toppled over the saddle, landing a few yards away from him. She didn't move. Hoy Shi darted forward and slung her over his shoulders, revelling in his new catch. Turning on his heel, he retreated into the forest, his men now conscious and following him with twisted grins plastered on their faces.

"This fine piece should be fun, boys! Entertainments on me tonight!"

He slapped her behind, letting his hand linger over her firm arse and giving it an appreciative squeeze. Next thing he knew, the ground was coming up to meet him face on, and he couldn't figure out why until he saw animals fleeing and the trees shaking, a few leaves being forced off their respective branch to dot about him.

His knees buckled as the ground shook in waves, making him drop his new toy. It pissed him off to see that a rock she landed on was the first thing to draw her blood, and not him.

Scrambling to his feet, he prepared himself to face the blind earth bender. She seemed like the suicidal, fighting type. Did she know who the _fuck_ she was messing with?

Turning on his heel, he drew a tongue of fire in his palm, but when he faced the bender in front of him and his men, it wasn't the petite blind girl. No. They weren't so lucky.

It was the Avatar. His tattoos and eyes were glowing ominously. As Hoy Shi looked into the young man's wise and formidable eyes, he felt fear true fear for the first time in his life.

He knew they were about to die.

Katara was soaring. Flying through the inky black of the night, awareness returned slowly at first, but quickly gained momentum. She opened her eyes slowly as they adjusted to the change in light. No, not sunlight… _moonlight_. The sky was clear above her, stars blinking against the velvet night sky.

Everything came back to her in a rush. Being mad at Aang, running into camp, the fire benders.

_Oh Spirits, the fire benders!_

Her muscles screamed in protest as she sat upright. She immediately regretted her decision and clutched her head as it throbbed painfully, causing her sight to glaze over for a few moments. Taking deep calming breaths, she managed to clear most of the fog that clouded her memories. She remembered the fire benders, Appa growling in fear, the volley of fire and the weightlessness of falling, then… nothing. Confused, she took in her surroundings. There was solid rock beneath her, and clear skies all around. She must be on a mountain top. Dropping her hand from her now aching head, she registered that she was lying on top of a makeshift mattress of leaves and shrubs covered in… was that Aangs parka?

_Where is Aang? _She thought.

"Welcome back."

The voice came from behind her, startling her already shaken nerves at being somewhere she didn't recognise. Her head craned around and she saw Aang, sitting cross legged a few feet away from her. She blushed slightly to note he was topless.

_Oh right, the parka. As my mattress. Right…_ she thought.

His expression was unreadable, but the tight lines around his eyes and mouth suggested that he had been stressing about something. Most likely, her.

Clearing her throat, she asked "Aang, where are we?"

He smiled a small smile. The moonlight made the his face seem older, harsher almost. The smile set her on edge for some reason. She shivered, but not from the cool wind that flowed over her from being at such an altitude.

"We're somewhere safe," he answered vaguely. "How's your head?"

"Sore," she replied. "But I'll live. I've had worse knocks then that."

She must have said something wrong, because his shoulders tensed up, his face twisting into a menacing scowl. Suddenly he was on his feet and stalking towards her. She held her ground, though the instinct to _run away_ ran through her mind. She never had the urge to run from Aang, but as she looked at him, she realized that this wasn't the shy, goofy kid she found in the iceberg seven years ago. No, this was a man who seemed angry and desperate.

He grasped her under her armpits and lifted her to her feet, clenching her upper arms in a vice grip.

"Do you know how close you were to being abducted? Do you know how close you were _dying_?" he growled, his voice rising in panic.

"DO YOU KNOW HOW CLOSE I CAME TO LOSING YOU?!" He bellowed, shaking her slightly, fingers biting into her tender flesh. The sound echoed into the air around them and for a while they just looked at each other. Katara regarding him warily, Aang breathing heavily trying to regain his control. His eyes were so hot and desperate the gaze could have scorched her skin.

Standing before her was not the young man and Avatar she had come to love over the years. In front of her was a man fighting to regain some sense of sanity after coming so close to losing it. Katara couldn't help but wonder what happened in the time between her being conscious. _Losing you_, he said.

_Was it really that bad? Had the fire benders really been about to kill her?_

Slowly, he released his grip and Katara's fingers tingled slightly from the sudden rush of blood back to them. She rubbed where his hands had just been. She would have slight bruises in the morning, she winced.

"Aang?" she asked cautiously. "All I remember is the fire benders ambushing us, and me falling out of Appa's saddle. The next thing is waking up here and you yelling at me. What – what happened?"

His eyes bore into hers and she saw anger and shame in them. What had he done?

"Katara, I…" his voice cracked slightly and he suddenly looked 12 years old again, a frightened and guarded kid. He averted his gaze.

"Aang? What happened?" She touched his cheek with tender hands. She could tell he was ashamed about something, and disgusted with himself. All of his emotions were conveyed in his eyes as he looked her straight in the eye. He wore no expression and his voice was monotonous as he said "I killed them, Katara. The fire benders. I killed every last one."

Her gasp sounded like a shriek as it echoed into the suddenly thin air.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay, so this is a bit shorter than the other two chapters, but as i said, i LOVE cliff hangers - Just be aware that there is reference to rape and violence in this chapter, so dont say i didnt warn you!

Aang watched Katara pale and start to sway with a strange sense of dissociation, almost as if watching a play. Seeing someone else admit to multiple counts of murder and the person they love shrinking away from them. She truly didn't know the lengths he would go to just to keep her safe by his side, and until she was taken from him, neither did he.

Katara's hand dropped away from his face to hang limply by her side as her eyes began to glisten and sting from unshed tears. Had the fire benders really been so close to taking her away from him? She wondered. Aangs expression remained stony and unreadable.

No, she decided. No, he would never hurt another human being. He wouldn't even kill Ozai, for Spirits sake! Not her nature loving humanitarian air nomad. But as she looked up into the eyes of the monk she loved, she knew what he said was true.

"Aang, I- I don't know what to…." She trailed off.

He remained still and unmoving as the mountain they were standing on.

A single hot, angry tear slipped down her cheek and she dashed it away with a jerky hand. Something had snapped within the Avatar, and she would be damned if she let him choose a path of evil. Those men were evil, she knew that. But that didn't mean they deserved to die. Had Aang even considered showing them mercy? Had those thugs even begged for it? If Aang could lose control so easily over the thought of her in danger, why did he feel the need to let her travel with him? Frequent stops in enemy territory came with the job of 'peacekeeper.' Why would he snap now?

_Because the threat never got that close before_, her mind whispered.

Looking back on all the years they had travelled together, she realised that Aang would go out of his way to try and protect his friends, but especially her. Yes, he cared about his friends deeply because they were the only thing close to family he had, but she never paid so much attention as to why he would keep her in his sight at all times. Did he really have that little faith in her abilities? She was a master water bender and she knew she had the terrifying ability to blood bend as an absolute last result, when all other options were used and abused. He wasn't the only one who had power in this world. Katara could hold her own as she had done before she even met Aang.

The thought of the unnecessary loss of life at Aangs hands made her feel emboldened, strong. She levelled her gaze with his and released her anger and frustration.

"How little you must think of me, Aang," she spat.

His gaze burned into hers, but still he said nothing. Wherever his mind had gone, she would yell at him so loudly that even the Spirit World would hear her.

"Do you so readily forget, _Avatar_, that _I'm_ the one who taught you water bending? That _I'm_ the one who saved you after Azula shot you full of lightening? That _I'm _the one who constantly had to keep the group together when everything seemed lost? You are supposed to keep balance in this world! How dare you take the lives of those men!" she shrieked.

She was so angry and hurt that she didn't take care to watch the words that formed in her mouth. Aang's eyes narrowed and the very air seemed to crackle with electricity, with danger. Katara swallowed past the lump that had abruptly formed in her throat.

"Of course I remember, Katara. How could I forget?" he hissed. "Those men…" He scowled. "Those men were murderers. Thieves and rapists. And you would defend them? The fine line between justice and death was crossed when they showed that they wouldn't stop doing evil deeds. And when they took you…" He went dangerously quiet and stared at her, eyes flickering over her body before returning to her face.

Wait, those benders _abducted_ her, while she was unconscious? The realisation sobered her out of her irate mood. Aang had killed those men because of her. The thought seemed to weigh as much as a buffalo whale and it settled right over her heart. She swayed and clutched her aching chest. The deaths of five men were on her hands. All because she couldn't hold onto Appa. Katara had known hatred intimately before, but towards another person; the man who killed her mother. But this searing pain was meant for her and her alone. She had singlehandedly brought about the grisly end of five human beings, and turned the innocence of a young air nomad into something dirty and malicious.

Aangs voice was so quiet she had to strain to hear him.

"Do you know what it's like, Katara? For me to see you get taken away from me, when I've waited over a hundred years for you? All my people are dead, Katara. I'm the last of the Air Nomads. I'm the- I'm the last." His voice cracked with emotion, and Katara's anger dissipated into a feeling of numbness. She knew Aang had felt the loss of his people deeply, but he never revealed how much it affected him still.

"I'm the last." He sobbed, sinking to his knees, holding his head in his hands and rocking himself.

"What have I done? Oh Spirits, what have I done?" he whispered.

Katara felt tears prick her own eyes in empathy as she watched Aangs brave facade crumble. He was still a child in so many ways. He had made mistakes, but they never resulted in death. All at once, she felt the need to protect her air bender. The weight of the past seven years had smothered him to the point that he violently fought to resurface, and in his desperate bid to breathe freely, something had snapped inside of him.

Katara resolved that it was now her duty to help the now damaged man she loved, no matter what the cost.

Letting he own tears fall, she knelt and hugged him, a true heartfelt embrace that said everything words couldn't. He had committed a horrible deed, yes, but he was still Aang. He was still the Avatar. And she still loved him with all of her heart. He stiffened slightly at her touch, but relaxed into it and returned her embrace as they both cried in each other's arms, on top of an unknown mountain with the endless sky stretched above them.

There was no slow awakening for Katara once the sun rose. She was asleep, and suddenly she was awake and alert. Briefly she felt a twinge of panic because she didn't recognise where she was. After Aang rescued her, he must have used his glider to transport her. Her nerves were frayed and raw after the emotional turmoil she endured with Aang only hours ago. Vaguely, she remembered crying with him in her arms, her soothing words to try and comfort him before sleep and exhaustion took her. The revelation of her abduction was still in the back of her mind, and thinking about what _could_ have happened had Aang not come after her made her stomach somersault.

She healed enough broken women in the villages they stopped at to know what those thugs did to vulnerable young females. One young girl in particular would forever be branded in her memory. Her name was Myka, and she was barely out of her thirteenth year. Her parents owned a small sheep-pig farm on the outskirts of the town. Despite the gang's presence, the father, Jin, had stubbornly refused to give up his plot of land because of fear, much to the distress of Myka's mother. What he hadn't taken into account was the ferocity of the gang's members.

The fire benders came in the night, dragging the family of three out into the field and made them watch as they burned their livelihood to the ground. Then they made Jin watch as they raped his wife and daughter repeatedly. The mother didn't survive the brutality and in his mourning state of mind, Jin left this place of horrible memories, leaving Myka in the elders care. Myka will never be the same. Katara healed Myka as best she could physically when the towns soldiers told her of the ordeal when the GAang arrived, but she would forever carry the scars of that one night on her body and in her mind. Although Myka never spoke a word, one look into her young eyes revealed the emptiness and fear that had taken root there.

The memory of seeing that young girl broken, bloody and bruised and within an inch of her life made Katara hate again. _Maybe they did get what they deserved_, she thought. The world was better off without them. Then she would remember her duty as a healer and guilt would creep in. And so the cycle continued in her head, like a lemur-bat chasing its own tail.

During her silent recollections, Katara did not realise that the airbender was not on the makeshift pallet next to her, or on the mountain top. She didn't even see the giant mushroom cloud of dust that rose above the landscape in the distance.

It wasn't natural.

The Avatar had cracked.


	4. Chapter 4

"Sokka," Suki said, softly. "You have to rest. You're going to need your strength if you want any hope of finding Katara and Aang."

Sokka grunted. "I'm fine. Go back to sleep," he replied little too harshly. His grip tightened on Appa's reins. They had been flying for hours with no sign of Katara or Aang.

Suki knew how worried Sokka was, which is why she didn't bite his head off. Instead she sat back in Appa's saddle next to a sleeping Toph, drawing her knees up to her chin. They were all worried. Not so much for Aang, but for Katara. Aang had well and truly shown that, as the Avatar, he can more than handle himself. If the bodies of those five fire benders were anything to go by. Toph, Sokka and Suki tried to bury the bodies, but there wasn't much of a body for any of them.

Suki shuddered and hugged her knees. _So much blood, ash and… limbs_.

She swallowed audibly. Seeing Aang in so much rage at the thought of losing Katara, she would have thought sweet and wildly protective. But then he lost control and went into the Avatar State. Suki had only seen him glow a handful of times, but not like this.

_A tornado of air and fire swirled fiercely around him, uprooting trees and stripping the ground bare as he made his way towards Katara. He was surprisingly gentle as he bent to cradle her limp form in his arms, but as her head slumped against his chest it left a streak of red on his shirt from the cut on her scalp. His steely gaze fixated on the fire benders who were now backing away from the display of raw power. The air around him heated so quickly that three of the fire benders closest to him shrieked in pain, their exposed skin scalded. Inside the tornado, Aang and Katara remain untouched. The gang members who were not incapacitated fled for their lives, only to have Aang move one hand in a deadly cutting motion, draining the moist air surrounding him of water and sending it slicing through the air. The contact was fatal and both men fell in a pool of their own personal crimson. He turned towards the trio of friends who had backed away into Appa, looking on in awe and horror at their usually placid friend. Aang had an anguished look on his face before he roared, fire spewing from his mouth before the tornado exploded outwards. They would have been incinerated had Toph not procured a thick wall of rock between them and Aang's fury. The heat was incredible and a bit of Appa's fur singed, Momo having taken flight before Aang lost control. As the smoke cleared and the smell of burning fur dissipated, Toph lowered the now blackened and crumbling wall of earth._

_Aang and Katara were gone, and all that was left of the fire benders were twisted bodies, ashen faces frozen in fear and three friends who were left to clean up the mess._

Suki shivered, recalling the horrendous sight and almost wretched.

Spirits help Katara while she was alone with a psychotic Avatar.

He was numb. He was numb and completely oblivious to his surroundings as he glided on pockets of air away from the mountain he left his heart sleeping on.

He had awoken before dawn next to Katara, one arm under her head and the other snaked around her waist as she slept, snuggled into his chest. He remained still for long moments, savouring the position until rational thought settled in.

Yes, he loved her, but they weren't together. That much she had made certain to remind him of almost every day. The night before the attack, they even shared a few stolen kisses in a makeshift earth tent by the lake, with the moon almost full and shimmering on the soft water. They couldn't linger too long, else Sokka would get suspicious.

He still wasn't used to the idea of his 21 year old 'baby' sister being with a man. Reluctantly, he removed his arm, trying not to wake her. Once his arm was free, she sighed and rolled over with her back to him. It seems even in sleep she didn't want to face him. That stung a little, he decided. As he faced to the east, he saw a tinge of pink, signalling the beginning of dawn. He didn't sleep well. He had nightmares of blue light, fire and heat and piercing screams, then silence. He had to get away.

So he found himself retrieving his glider and soaring into the sunrise, only landing on another mountain top when the sunlight stung his eyes and heated his face. He turned and faced the peak he abandoned Katara on. As determined as he was to return to her, his pride wouldn't let him. He had performed dishonourably. He had blood on his hands.

He scoffed to himself as he paced the barren peak with agitated strides.

_A monk who murdered not on, but _five_ men while in the Avatar state. Pathetic._

Grief and disgust itched under his skin, rubbing his emotions raw. How could he face Katara after all of this? How could she not see him as the monster he had proven himself to be?

Would she love him still, if he admitted that he wasn't sorry for what he did?

He regretted it, yes and thought he could have done it differently… but he couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for those men. For the numerous crimes they committed, a prison sentence might as well have been a slap on the wrist. A few years of being isolated from the outside world, they would have been released and returned to their life of crime.

Even if Aang energy bended their ability to fire bend away, they would most likely just turn to the bite of steel to finish their hapless victims.

No, he wasn't sorry for what he did. If he was truly honest, he was glad that the last sight those gang members saw was of him in the Avatar state.

_'They were going to take your love away from you. They were going to 'have fun' with her,'_ a sly voice murmured inside of his head.

Aang frowned. _Where had that come from?_ The voice grew more distinct, its words echoing in his mind from the darkest part of his soul. The darkness he had tried to squash down all these years seemed to be rising and breaking through with a vengeance.

_'Those men would have deflowered her. Would have taken her innocence before you even got a taste of her flesh.'_

Aang squeezed his eyes shut and clapped his hands over his ears.

"No. No, no, no, no, no."

_'Oh yes. They were going to touch her. And fondle her. And _fuck_ her until she wouldn't even know your name!' _the voice cackled maniacally.

Aang shook his head violently to try and rid his brain of these horrible thought, but that laugh taunted him and the silent noise grew until he almost drowned in it.

"NO!" Aang bellowed before he crouched, slamming his fists into the ground. His eyes and tattoos flickered blue.

All around him, earth rumbled and fissures appeared in the mountain side, releasing dust into the air to rise above him in a giant cloud that could be seen for miles and miles.

Breathing heavily, chest heaving, Aang conjured a pocket of air around himself so he could breathe easier.

Before long, the dust had settled, carried on the wind away like it never happened.

During his outburst, something had clicked inside of his head. He faced the mountain top he left Katara on, filled with grim determination.

_How little you must think of me, Aang_.

Oh Katara, he thought. If only you knew…

Aang had been gone for most of the morning. His glider was missing so he must have gone to clear his head. By noon, Katara was parched and hungry. Her stomach growled, demanding sustenance. Licking her lips nervously, she scouted the skies for any sign of Aang, but found nothing. Sighing, she sat down on the makeshift pallet, staring into the distance while plucking the fabric of Aangs shirt. As she skimmed her hand over the woven cotton, she felt a crusty dry patch.

Frowning, she bent to have a closer inspection. There was a long streak of maroon on the mustard yellow fabric. Blood? When did Aang get cut?

She scratched her head in slight confusion, only to yelp in pain and draw her hand away. Timidly, she patted around her now tangled hair until she found a small lump and what she hoped was just mud matted in her hair. Gingerly touching it, she winced when pain seared her scalp and travelled down her spine.

Sighing, she resigned herself to making a mental note to heal herself when she found a source of fresh water. She clutched her empty stomach as it growled in protest at lack of food. Cautiously, she approached the edge of the mountain top to see if there was any path down. The drop was almost vertical before it smoothed outwards to meet the flat ground surrounding the mountain. Katara guessed the peak was about 500 feet off solid ground. Seeing no visible path to the bottom, she sighed and slumped into the temporary cot, dozing into a fitful sleep with dreams of falling, fire, pain and heartache.

A/N: PLEASE REVIEW! First fanfic, so I need confirmation of how I'm doing! :)


	5. Chapter 5

When Katara woke, it was to the musty smell of earth and the scent of a camp fire. Frowning, Katara eased herself up into a sitting position. Aang must have returned because a large earth tent had been constructed around her. Its roof was high and pointed in a tepee fashion. She guessed there was enough room for the GAang and Appa to sleep comfortably without being on top of each other. There was enough of a crack for a single person to squeeze through to access outside, but a limited amount of light shone through it. Shuffling sounds from outside made Katara go completely immobile, her heart rate increasing in tempo. Shadows from the crackling fire played across the earthen floor as someone passed by the tents opening.

Aang was back. How long had she been asleep for? Deciding that staying inside to try and avoid Aang was not only stupid, but impossible.

Katara stretched her taut muscles, a few joints popping slightly and made her way outside. Each step seemed to feel like she was walking through mud. Her legs didn't seem to want to cooperate in her effort to face the Avatar. Soon, she was struggling to breathe easily with each step and small beads of sweat dotted her brow.

What kind of mood was he in? How would she be able to face him? Yes, she had cried with him in empathy and for the loss of his innocence, but she knew he had changed drastically overnight. As she neared the split of earth, Katara swore she stopped breathing altogether.

_Come on, Katara. This is ridiculous! It's only Aang, for Spirits sake!_ She scolded herself.

For some reason, her personal scolding only made her more nervous. As she ducked through the tents entrance, she spotted Aang crouched by the fire, tending to the glowing embers with a stick. It was just on sunset, the sky a blood orange and burnt pink colour. Her mouth went dry and her hands felt clammy as she stared at his bare back. She swallowed loudly, nervously. Aangs shoulders stiffened slightly, his hand halting their ministrations with the fire. Turning his head slightly, he looked at Katara over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. His eyes were stark and cold, connecting with Katara's worried gaze before glancing away.

She frowned and nervously smoothed the front of her tunic, wiping her sweaty hands clean in the process. She opened her mouth, then closed it again, unsure of what to say to him. She repeated this process a few times before making a small sound of frustration.

Aang's voice cut through the quickly fading daylight.

"Hello."

"Um… hi Aang." She replied nervously. "Look, Aang. While you were gone, I thought-"

"You don't have to say anything Katara." He interrupted her. He stood up and turned to face her, uncaring that he was half naked in front of her while they were alone.

Any other time, Aang would have blushed furiously and avoided her gaze as he stripped to take a swim, even when they were surrounded by their friends. Now, he looked at her in the eye, his gaze hard and unyielding. He looked empty and lost. He looked like he had aged the 100 years of life he had lost. Katara's face fell slightly as she took all of him in.

He really was a gorgeous young man. His head was still shaved in the traditional Air Nomad way. His tattoos contrasted starkly against his marble skin in the fading light of day. Learning the way of all four elements had been kind to Aang's physique. He was tall, almost 6 foot four, with an athlete's body although his earth bending had defined and bulked his muscles, but not in an unattractive way. Katara inwardly sighed. She had watched him grow from a goofy kid who only wanted to go penguin sledding, to a fully realized Avatar. But now, she didn't know the man who stood before her. He looked like Aang, and sounded like Aang, but inside, he wasn't the man she loved. He was as hard as the elements he learnt to bend. Hard like earth, cold as ice, self-hatred burned like fire and he was drifting away from her like the air he naturally controlled.

Aang had risen from a 100 year long slumber into a world at war with unknown people making continuous threats on his life. He didn't know this world, even after seven years of living in it. When he looked around him, all he saw was death and destruction. His sheltered life with monk Gyatso at the Southern Air Temple was over a century in the past and the world had changed so much. He didn't fit the mould of this time.

She took a few tentative steps toward him, judging his reaction. He had none. Her eyes never left his and soon she was close enough to touch him if she only extended her arm.

His eyes were still cold and calculating as he watched her, still unmoving.

Slowly, she raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek with the back of her fingers.

A muscle ticked in his jaw and she thought she heard his teeth grind. He was so far removed now, so far away from her that she wondered if she would ever get him back. Did he even _want_ to find his way back to her? Did she mean the world to him, like he promised so many times before? In an instant, all the regret she felt for denying him her love outwardly all these years rushed over her. Truth was that she was scared. Yes, she loved him. He was her best friend and life companion, the kid who never gave up on her even when she was at her lowest. He had given the world hope when nothing else could. He had restored Katara's faith in humanity when she questioned why people were the way that they are.

But here he was in front of her, unflinching and seemingly uncaring if he hurt anyone else. The situation made all the more bitter-sweet because they loved each other and they were both in pain.

She began to lower her hand, tears pricking her eyes. Moving so swiftly it was a blur, he snatched her wrist to hold her firm causing her to wince slightly at his tight grip.

His face softened slightly when he saw her grimace and his grip eased, but only slightly. His expression turned pained as he looked at her, drinking in her features in the dim light of the rising full moon. He opened his mouth to speak, but a strangled cry came out instead.

Her heart broke for him. Suddenly, he yanked on her arm, making her collide with his warm, bare chest. Before she could think rationally, his lips were on hers. The kiss was rough, desperate and it made her gasp against his mouth. As soon as her lips parted, his tongue darted in, taking control and making her melt. Her mind fogged over and soon all she could do was feel and give into his demands. This was a kiss of a desperate man fighting to regain his sanity. Katara returned his kiss with equal fervour, making him groan in approval.

He released her wrist, but only to clutch the back of her head possessively, taking care to avoid the lump there. His other hand skimmed over her collar bone and stopped at the top of her breast. He withdrew from the kiss slightly, searching her eyes for approval. Even in this desperate, near mindless state, he was still a gentleman. Katara nodded slightly and he released the breath he had been holding. His lips were back on hers in an instant and this time Katara was prepared. They clashed in a battle of tongue, lips and teeth.

Aang disconnected only to trail kisses down her neck, making her arch into him and moan loudly at the sweet sensation. He moved his hand from the back of her head to travel down until he clutched her perfect, plump arse, all the while peppering her caramel skin with kisses. He pulled away so suddenly that Katara was left swaying and in a daze. He gripped the bottom of her tunic and lifted it over her head, tossing it through the tents opening. He made quick work of her pants, letting them follow the tunic inside the tent, until she stood in front of him in her breast bindings and panties.

His gaze darkened as he took a step back to admire her. The moon was full and rising behind her, bathing her in silver light. He cheeks were slightly flushed and her lips were parted as she panted slightly, her pupils dilated with lust and basic need. Her brow crinkled slightly.

"Aang? Is everything – mph!" He cut her off with a kiss. Gripping the top of her bindings between her breasts, Aang ripped the fabric in half, exposing her to the cooling night air. Her dusky pink nipples hardened as he palmed her breasts, pinching slightly and making her gasp at the heady combination of pleasure and pain. One of his hands brushed down her flat, toned stomach before he palmed in between her legs. It was the first time he had touched her there. A surge of panic made Katara shove at Aangs chest, her eyes wide and all feeling of lust disappearing.

"Aang, stop. Please Aang, no. Wait, Aang!" He kissed her again, and she tried to shove him back but he was stuck solid. His hands stopped but did not move from her body.

She closed her mouth tightly against his until he drew his head away from her. His eyes, filled with raw lust and savage need only moments before, steeled and became empty. He shifted his gaze to his feet and released her, turning his back on her.

Suddenly, Katara knew. Aang wasn't doing this just because he was a male with needs. He _needed_ this. He needed the closeness and passion of a living breathing female, because death had reared its ugly head and pranced about in front of him, taunting him. He needed to feel alive and feel like he was wanted. He needed to feel needed. For the second time that night, her heart broke for him. If she truly loved him, she would accept him whether he was damaged or not. In that moment, she felt powerful to know that the Avatar, the strongest bender in the world, needed _her_. Yes, she would give him what he needed.

She grasped his hand to stop him from walking away. She whispered what he had to hear, but the words were true and from the heart.

"Aang, please. Don't turn away from me. I need you, Aang. And you need me, too."

He straightened and was still for long moments, staring into the night sky at Yue, the moon.

He spun around and gathered her up in his arms, making her squeak in alarm. He carried her into the earth tent, making the entrance bigger to accommodate them. Once inside he placed her on her feet and kissed her. This time it wasn't hard, distant or rushed. It was full of passion and love. Katara kissed him back, letting her actions speak louder than words ever could. She raised her hands to his muscled chest and felt its expanse. He shivered and goosebumps rose on his skin. His hands spanned her hips, slightly kneading the flesh there before he manoeuvred his thumbs under the waist of her panties. She sucked on his tongue before gently biting it. He groaned and knelt to remove the last bit of her clothing. Katara should have felt exposed and vulnerable, especially after hearing him confess to murder, but she didn't. Instead she held her chin high as he regarded her with hungry eyes. She had nothing to hide from him anymore. He slowly stood and stalked towards her, making her back into the pallet on the floor. He held her gaze as he slipped his own trousers off, tossing them to the floor, not caring where they landed. His erection sprang forth, making her flush slightly. From the corner of her eye, she could tell he was large and… erect. She swallowed nervously. He smiled slightly, so small it would have gone unnoticed had she not have been paying attention to every inch of his profile. He raised one finger, trailing it across her bottom lip and making her eyelids flutter close.

"So soft," he murmured, whether to himself or her she wasn't quite sure.

He let his digit slip down her jaw before it travelled down her throat and between her breasts. He swirled it around her belly button, making her giggle slightly at the ticklish sensation. She gasped when he reached her folds, his finger slipping between them to spread her wetness.

_Spirits, this feels so good. And it's only with one finger!_

Katara trembled as he continued to tease her, her knees going weak. When he hit the button of nerves at the top of her entrance, she cried out. Aang drew lazy circles around her clit, driving her arousal higher until she almost sobbed with need. Her legs threaten to buckle, so she held onto his shoulders for dear life. Aang wouldn't let her fall. Suddenly, she felt full. He had slipped a thick finger into her and began to move it in and out, slowly at first but picking up speed. Katara moaned his name as she rose higher and higher and coiled tighter and tighter, the precipice within reach.

"Oh Spirits, Aang. Don't stop." She whimpered.

His finger was joined by another, stretching her even further and driving her higher. When he hit the right spot, she shattered. Crying out his name, she let her orgasm shake her and held onto him as she exploded. Her legs gave way, but Aang caught her and laid her gently down onto his shirt on the pallet. He brought his fingers up to his mouth and tasted her, his eyes rolling back in his head at the sweet and salty taste that was Katara. She pinkened slightly at this. He shifted to settle between her legs, not entering her just yet.

He bent his head to lave at one of her pert nipples. The nub hardened in his mouth as he nipped and sucked, making her moan again and again. Her hands reached up to clutch his head, holding him to her. When he blew on her wet nipple, she arched her back, the tip of him briefly meeting her core. He groaned, catching her wrists in one hand and pinning them above her head. His gaze locked with hers as she settled underneath him.

As he positioned himself on his elbow, his tip at her entrance, he felt her tense slightly. He kissed the juncture between her neck and shoulder, never relinquishing her wrists. She relaxed into his touch and he once again prodded her core. Slowly, he eased his hard length into her. Every time she tensed, he stopped, allowing her to get used to the intrusion. His brow spotted with sweat at the effort, the near overwhelming urge to thrust into her being quashed by the need to not cause her any more pain.

Just as he eased the tip in, he met slight resistance. He had met her barrier. He released her wrists then, her arms clutching him around his waist immediately. He brushed a stray lock of hair from her face as he looked at her. He apologised with his eyes at the pain that was about to come. She took a deep, steadying breath before she nodded, accepting him and the pain together. He thrust forward, tearing her hymen and swallowed her scream of pain with a kiss. Her eyes watered and she was grateful he didn't move at all, allowing her to get used to his length and girth.

He withdrew slowly after a few moments, before thrusting forward again.

She let out a small cry of pain, but found herself saying "Again!"

He withdrew, and thrust into her again, a bit more forceful this time. He repeated the motion over and over until the pain subsided and all Katara could feel was pleasure. Her insides coiled and soon she was meeting him thrust for thrust. Her moans mingled with his, sweat slicking his back as she ran her hand along it. He shifted slightly and hit her sweet spot. She gasped "Aang, I think I'm close. Oh Spirits, don't stop!"

He picked up the rhythm and drove into her, winding her tighter until she felt she couldn't go on. He thrust once, twice, thrice more and she screamed, her orgasm convulsing her body and her walls clamped around him, milking him. She lifted her head and bit into Aang's shoulder, making him growl. Aang's moans got closer together until she felt him shudder as his orgasm took him shortly after. Then he did something she didn't expect. He pulled out and pumped his fist along his length, groaning as he released his hot seed on the earth beside her. His eyes and tattoos flickered blue but he didn't seem to notice.

All at once, she felt rejected. Used. Sure, she didn't want to have children just yet, but it didn't take the sting out of his actions.

Aang sighed contentedly, still half on top of Katara. When he turned to face her, her eyes were watering, but her expression was thunderous.

"Get off me, Aang."

Confused, he didn't move, instead opening his mouth about to ask her why.

"I said, _get off_. Get off me! Get. Off. ME!" she yelled, shoving him with all of her strength.

He rolled away from her and watched as she stood and snatched her tunic and panties from the ground. She put them on with angry, jerky movements. Once she was covered, she turned to him and shot daggers at him with her eyes.

"Get out." She pointed outside.

Aang didn't move. Instead, decided to raise his brow in silent question.

She stamped her foot. "I said _GET OUT!_"

Silently, Aang rose and gathered his pants before heading towards the fresh open air. As he passed her he paused, grasping her chin to make her look at him. She slapped his hand away with tears in her eyes. "_GET OUT!_"

Aang ducked out without saying a word. She heard the rustle of clothing being put on, the snap of his glider opening and the whoosh of his taking to the air.

When she was sure he couldn't hear her, she screamed… and screamed… and screamed, until her throat was sore and her voice was hoarse.

She had thought that giving him this comfort, he would return to his old self somehow. Maybe confide in her his inner most worries and fears. But no. Instead his eyes had hardened once the pleasure had subsided. He used her for his own selfish needs. He needed to escape somewhere briefly, and Katara just happened to be there. He didn't want to have anything more with her, even though he claimed he loved her. Was it all just a ruse? She had denied him this for so long for a reason. Did he only chase her because she was the only one that didn't throw herself at him because of his Avatar title?

She cried and sank to her knees as dark thoughts settled in. Putting her face in her hands, she curled into a foetal position on the dirt floor.

He got what he wanted, and then he just left her here. He never wanted her. He only wanted something that he refused to take. Ad she had been a fool about it.

She lay there, holding herself and crying until more tears refused to come.

She was emotionally numb as she watched the moonlight filter through the tents opening.

She closed her eyes and let blissful unconsciousness take her.

The dreams never came.

A/N: psst, you... yeah you, the one reading this... PLEASE REVIEW! It makes me sad when you dont! hope you liked the lemony goodness! :) please let me know what i can do to improve future scenes of this.. ahem... nature :)


	6. Chapter 6

Five days. It had been five days, and still no sign of Aang or Katara. Sokka was beginning to fray from broken sleep and worry. Ever since they were kids living in the South Pole with their Gran-Gran, Kanna, Sokka had always known where his baby sister was every minute of every day. Even before their mother was ripped away from them, he stood up for her, carried her home if she fell and scraped her knee. Hell, he even got beat up by the older village kids trying to protect her, even if he was only seven years old.

Sokka had tried to sleep, curled in his sleeping bag, but his mind was whirring into overdrive. What would Aang do to her? If he hurt her, Spirits help him… Sokka gulped down a lump at the thought of him having to kill the Avatar for hurting a single hair on Katara's head.

No, he thought. He cut off that train of thought. Aang would never hurt Katara… at least not on purpose. But after seeing him fry those benders, his panic rocketed up a notch to 'code red.' Frustrated, Sokka rose and paced back and forth, muttering to himself. Suki was asleep on Appa's tail, Momo snuggled in her side. Toph was in her usual earth tent, snoring lightly.

Still pacing, Sokka went through the facts he knew.

Aang was the Avatar. Katara was a water bender. She liked him. He liked her. Neither one would admit it. Then Katara's life is threatened and his sanity snaps like a twig. Then they disappear. _Damn it!_ He thought as he stopped his weren't clues to Katara's whereabouts; just useless facts that even the cabbage guy would take notice of.

"Shit," he grumbled and continued wearing a path into the ground as he paced.

"_SOKKA!_" yelled Toph, her voice muffled through the earth of her tent. "IF YOU DON'T STOP PACING I'LL COME OUT THERE AND BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH YOUR OWN CLUB! SOME OF US ARE _TRYING_ TO SLEEP, HERE!"

Sokka glared in her general direction, not caring if she couldn't see him… or anything else for that matter. Toph's berating caused Suki to stir, Momo snapping awake and chittering, taking flight in search of some bugs and fruit. Sokka sighed and made his way over to her.

Suki rubbed her sleep filled eyes, taking in Sokka as he shuffled towards her. His hair was unkempt and there were large bags under his eyes. He looked like death warmed over.

"Hey," he said, crouching next to her and sweeping a lock of hair off her face and behind her ear. "Sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep."

"Have you gotten any sleep yet, Sokka?" Suki asked quietly. He shook his head.

"Sokka…" she frowned.

"Yeah, yeah I know. Energy and strength stuff, blah, blah, blah." He stood up, stretching out his limbs and advanced on the fire pit that had a few still-smouldering embers. Suki frowned at his mocking tone, but said nothing as she watched him whisper to himself.

She had woken to him either pacing or mapping out their search route for the last five days. It seemed that the sleep deprivation was starting to take its toll. Deciding she wouldn't let her proud warrior slip into madness at something that could simply be cured by a nap, Suki rose off of Appa and approached Sokka, like someone approached an angry saber-tooth moose-lion. Appa yawned and growled, blinking his eyes open before fixating on the two of them. Suki knelt behind Sokka and wrapped her arms around his torso, her cheek flat against his back.

She shut her eyes at the feel of him in her arms, sighing serenely at the warmth of her water tribe warrior. His self-chatter ceased and he reached up to her clasped hands, taking them in his own. He turned around to face her, her arms never letting go of his waist. Sokka rested his forehead against Suki's, breathing in her scent; pine, camp fire smoke and female. She lifted her hand to gently stroke his face, one of his hands still covering hers. He was slightly surprised to find a hint of stubble along his jaw.

"I know you're worried Sokka," she whispered. "But please, _please_ get some rest. You can't go on like this forever and you're no use to Katara in this state." Her expression was pained and filled with worry. Worry for him and his health, and for Katara. And for what they might find…

Sokka shut his eyes and tried to calm himself, forcing his mind to be quiet. He shook his head slightly, trying to shake some of the impractical chatter out.

His mind went suddenly quiet, the voices telling him of all the things that could go wrong ceased. It took him a moment to realise it was because Suki had pressed her berry coloured lips to his. The kiss was tender, but filled with worry. She drew back all too soon and stood to leave.

"Suki, wait…" He reached out and held her hand, not letting it go until she turned back to face him. "Please, Suki. I don't- I don't know what to do. Aang _kidnapped_ my sister. She's all I have left. I can't – I just can't…" His voice cracked, and suddenly he felt as if there was no air. He clutched his chest as he laboured to breathe. Concern washed over Suki as she crouched and hugged him to her, gently rubbing his back and whispering soothing sweet nothings into his ear. He turned his head and buried his face into her neck, trying to calm himself.

_I'm never gonna live this down_, he thought. _What kind of warrior _cries_… let alone in front of his girlfriend… Man up, idiot!_

Clearing his throat, he straightened himself and averted his gaze, looking over Suki's left shoulder. He frowned as he noticed a wet patch on her shirt.

"Suki, did Momo drool on you?" he asked.

It wasn't until she gave him a sad smile, looking at his cheeks, did he realise that it wasn't drool. He had cried onto his girlfriend's shoulder, like a little girl. He flushed, suddenly embarrassed and ashamed at this rather un-manly act and cast his eyes ground-ward.

"Hey, hey, hey. Sokka, look at me. _Sokka_. Look. At. Me." Suki said pointedly.

He continued to stare at the dirt, making imaginary patterns on the earth in his mind. She swatted the top of his head. Not enough to hurt, but hard enough to gain his attention. He lifted his head and glared at her, a smirk playing on her lips.

"You're still my warrior, Sokka. Still the guy that saved me from The Boiling Rock and you're still the same, sweet guy that went out of his way to make me happy. Sokka, I love you, so forgive me when I tell you that you're being an absolute moron right now…"

He opened his mouth, but she placed a finger on his lips to shush him.

"I wasn't finished. It doesn't make you any less manly to show some emotion every now and then. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Not in front of me, anyways. I love you, and nothing is going to change that." She smiled when she finished her spiel.

_Spirits, I love this woman_, he thought. His gaze took in her sharp feminine features, before dipping lower to her chest. She was kneeling at such an angle that the neck of her shirt revealed the tops of her breasts, rising and falling with each breath.

Her finger was still on his lips. He darted his tongue out and flicked the tip, watching her face go slack and her eyes go dark. She followed the movements of his mouth aptly and she bit her bottom lip.

Sokka drew her finger into his mouth, sucking on the digit gently before nipping the tip of her finger. She gasped and withdrew her hand, only to clutch the sides of his face and pull him towards her. Their lips met, hard and wet and needing. Suki moaned softly when Sokka drew her bottom lip into his mouth and gently bit down. Sokka leant forward, making her lean back until she made contact with the ground. He was on top of her in an instant, his hands caressing every curve and crevice before finally resting on her core. He rubbed her through the fabric of her pants and she whimpered.

Not wanting to leave him out, Suki trailed her hand down his pecs and toned stomach until she grasped his hard length through his trousers. He bucked slightly at the contact, so she gently squeezed him, running her fingers up and down slightly. This made his eyes roll back in his head. They kissed and fondled each other through their clothing, moaning and working themselves into a frenzy. When Sokka began to thrust against her palm, she stopped. He stopped sucking at her neck to look at her and raised a brow in question. She simply smiled and gently shoved his chest.

Taking this as a sign to stop, Sokka sighed and dragged himself off of her, watching her as she stood and turned away from him to, he assumed, go back to sleep. He gazed at his right hand where it rested on his knee. _Well buddy, just like old times_, he said to it.

Movement caught his attention and he turned to see Suki stripping herself of her tunic, pants and undergarments. When she stood naked before him, he felt his mouth go dry. Her creamy skin seemed to glow against the night, her auburn hair framing her delicate pixie face. She was tone from training as a Kyoshi Warrior for all of her life, but she was busty. Her nipples a light brown against the soft fullness of her breasts. She took a few steps towards him, but didn't make it half way. Sokka was up and pulling her towards him in the blink of an eye. His mouth crushed hers, and soon their tongues were twining around one another. His hands roamed over her back and arse, kneading appreciatively. When he dipped his hand to her left buttock, he spanked her lightly, eliciting a shocked gasp rom her.

Sokka detached himself from her and shed himself of his clothes, needed the skin to skin contact he craved whenever he was near her. Once the barrier was removed, they continued on with lusty kisses and heated groping, slowly sinking to the ground.

Appa growled a little before moving his tail to cover his face before turning away and falling back to sleep. Sokka and Suki laughed a little, still continuing their caresses. When they were both on their knees, hips to hips, chest to chest, Suki forced Sokka backwards before straddling him. Grasping his length, she slowly eased herself onto him, moaning with every inch. She took him in to the hilt before she rose up and dropped onto him again. They moaned in unison, Sokka's hands flying to her hips, Suki's hands landing on his chest and digging her nails into the muscle there. He didn't care, not even when small beads of blood welled up underneath her nails. He was too transfixed on the vixen that was riding him.

They had coupled before, but every time he was in awe of her, as if seeing her for the first time. Each day he loved her more. Suki began to move then. Her hips rising and falling, slightly bucking. The angle was delicious. She moved her arms to raise them above her head, clasping her forearms as she rode him. The sight seared itself into Sokka's memory.

Her movements quickened and they were both driven higher, Suki moaning, her eyes shut and her breasts bobbing with each thrust. She was close.

"Oh Spirits, Sokka. I'm close. I'm _really_ close. I'm almost coming"

He tightened his grip on her hips, forcing her down his shaft as he drove into her from underneath. He felt her quiver around him, but still she hadn't come. Slipping a hand between them, he found her clit and began to rub, making her eyes shoot open in surprise.

"Oh Spirits. Sokka. I think- I think I'm going to..." She tensed and her walled convulsed around him, she screamed his name into the night air. Her orgasm went on and on and triggered his own. He groaned as he came deep within her, holding her close as she collapsed onto him. They tried to regain their breath, sweat misted on their skin as the cool night air swept over them. Slowly he withdrew himself from her wet heat, lifting her in his arms and carrying her to his sleeping bag where he nestled in behind her under the cover.

Sokka kissed her temples and brushed her sweaty hair from her face as he turned her to look at him. He placed single peck on her lips, the most meaningful kiss they had shared that night.

"I love you, Sokka," she whispered drowsily. Cracking open an eye, she couldn't help but smile as she looked at him.

He was already asleep.

* * *

Even through the walls of earth, Toph Bei Fong could still feel the vibrations of the two people that were going at it only metres away from her. Sure, she was blind, but did they forget that she could still _hear _them? Toph growled and tried to cover her ears, but it did nothing to stop the vibrations. Their heartbeats quickened and curiosity got the better of her. As silently as she could, she bent a small crack in the earth to let the noise from outside in. She blushed slightly at the moans of pleasure that greeted her ears.

_This is wrong. You're technically _spying_ on two of your best friends having sex. What is wrong with you?!_

She was about to turn away, slightly disgusted with herself when Suki's voice spoke in the night. _What the hell was 'coming'?_ A dull ache began in between her thighs so she squeezed them shut. She frowned before her eyes widened in realisation, recalling an awkward conversation between her and Katara only months ago. Toph had been feeling more and more irritable than usual. And she ached… _down there_. She might have been blind, but she wasn't completely ignorant in the ways of copulating. Man meets woman, man gets hard on, sticks it in, and does his thing and leaves, right? Wham, bam, thank you ma'am? In one of the rare occasions that Katara was alone without Aang hovering nearby, Toph had confided in her about what she was feeling. Sugar Queen told her bluntly that she was 'sexually frustrated,' whatever the hell that meant. Then she embarrassed her further by telling her how to take care of it by herself if she ever got 'achy' again.

The moaning got louder and louder as the couple neared their peak. The ache between Toph's thighs intensified until it was on the edge of painful.

_Oh, screw this if this is what happens when I get turned on_, she thought.

Katara's rushed and nervous verbal teachings came back to her as she lied down on her earth pillow.

_Well, I guess it couldn't hurt to try it… just this once_.

Toph closed her eyes, even though she didn't need to. She couldn't see a damn thing anyways. Her hands started at the chest, stroking herself through the cloth of her tunic before she tested the weight of her breasts. She decided that felt good, and noticed her nipples bud. Tentatively, she pinched one, letting out a small moan before clamping her lips shut. Sound travels both ways, she reprimanded herself. Sokka and Suki were still going at it only metres away. Her hands skimmed over her stomach until they reached the waistband of her pants. She hesitated, but she throbbed almost painfully. Steeling her nerves, she dipped one hand into her folds, surprised to find herself wet.

_Hmm, feels better than I thought_.

She experimentally stroked herself and felt a small electric shock go through her at the contact. She tried it again, and moaned as she felt the same thing. Exploring the most intimate part of herself, she found a small bud at the top of her entrance. Curious, she rubbed and moaned anew. She continued to rub and felt a coiling inside of her, but it felt amazing. She rubbed faster and faster, her moans joining into one. As fast as she had begun it was over. Her orgasm shot through her, her legs convulsing and her back bowing. Only when the pleasure subsided did she remove her hand from her pants and focused on slowing her now erratic breathing. She turned on her side and smiled to herself.

_Well damn, Sugar Queen. I'm gonna have to thank you for the advice later._

She was still smiling as she drifted off to sleep.

**A/N: okay, so this chapter was ALL lemon... juicy, juicy lemon... you're a randy bunch, arent ya? haha PU-LEASE REVIEW! I'll kill the story if you dont!**

**...okay, that was an empty threat, but seriously, PLEASE review. its my first fanfic so dont leave me on the verge of a nervous breakdown wondering if i'm doing a good job or not :) DO IT FOR THE STORY! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

Sometimes, when Katara woke, she would catch sight of Aang just as he was about to take to the air to disappear again. He had the power to leave her here on this mountain while he flew all about the country side. Katara gritted her teeth. He was deliberately leaving her here, isolated and alone. He obviously didn't want anything to do with her anymore. Each time she almost caught him, she would scream out his name. He wouldn't even spare her a glance.

The morning after she told him to leave, she rubbed her gritty eyes to find a bunch of fruit placed on the ground next to her. She devoured the sticky morsels, groaning in appreciation as the fruit slid down her throat, helping to quell some of the pain in her stomach. Leaving a few tid bits for later, she made her way outside and stood in the sunlight for a lengthy period of time. She thought about the night before, and what she felt when Aang entered her. She thought about the pleasure, and flushed slightly to recall his fingers between her legs. She clamped her thighs shut at the delicious memory. Then the wind would howl through the mountain range and the cold realisation of being abandoned made her despise him. It's not as if Katara didn't understand why he pulled himself out of her. She did understand, truly. But it still stung her already wounded pride. She had been the cause of suffering for the last week. Sokka was more than likely going out of his mind with worry.

She missed her brother. And Toph and Suki. Appa and Momo, even. But the person she missed most was out flying around the Earth Kingdom, leaving her here to brave the harsh elements alone. She missed her air nomad.

The second morning, she went outside and found a crackling fire, a freshly speared fish roasting in the flames next to a collection of fruit and root vegetables. The smell was mouth-watering. The fish was gone, eaten in under a minute.

Katara knew how hard it would have been for Aang to catch a fish, preferring not to harm any living thing. She frowned. No. He had already harmed people. A fish was of no importance compared to that.

By the fifth day, Katara was filthy. She had awoken briefly before dawn because she thought she felt the mountain rumble. Before long, it stopped. Shrugging it out of her mind, she fell back to sleep. The sun had risen and the light had crept through the tents entrance to hit her square in the face. As she rose, she noticed the sunlight reflecting on the earthen floor waved slightly. Frowning, she rose to investigate.

Her mouth dropped open when she saw a large hole in the mountain, filled to the brim with water. The rumble in the earth that morning hadn't been the mountain sighing, but Aang bending her bath. Deciding it must be a way to try and apologize to her after that night, she turned her back on the water and stomped back into the earth tent, suddenly angry with the Avatar. He had showed such kindness even after all they had fought about and after what he did to those fire benders. But still he was nowhere to be seen. He had still left her here, refusing to acknowledge her and refusing to talk to her. She would deny letting him think that a few good deeds the last five days days made up for the hurt she felt at him abandoning her, and _rejecting_ her.

So instead, she curled into a ball and hugged his shirt to her chest as she cried.

She didn't know exactly what time she fell asleep, but when she woke it was sunset. More fruit was placed in her view, so she would see it when she woke. Grabbing a moon peach, she bit into it and enjoyed the succulent fruit, juice dripping off her chin. She was famished. Who knew sleeping could burn so much energy?

Once she finished, she held the peach seed in the palm of her hand. She examined the grooves and lines on the hard surface. In a way, a seed pretty much described her and Aang's relationship. The earth and the seed by themselves are useless, but when they are joined they create something so beautiful and natural. However, if the ground was unhealthy, the seed cracked, the result would just with and die. That's why it needed to be nurtured. She wanted to put her hurt feelings behind her, but she couldn't until she understood _why_ he did what he did. In light of everything that had happened, she should hate him and not want to see him again, but all she wanted to do was hold him and have him return her embrace.

As if reading her mind, Aang dropped from the sky, snapping his glider shut before gracefully landing at the tents entrance. Katara jumped up, dropping the seed, before running to him. Despite him abandoning and rejecting her, she had missed him.

She ducked through the tent opening. Katara knew he was outside the tent, but had no idea that he was on his way inside to see her. They collided, bare chest to clothed chest, winding them both. Katara stumbled backwards but Aang caught her, spinning her to clutch her to his chest. Unfortunately, her spinning form made Aang lose balance and soon they were falling, Aang holding Katara tightly to him as she screamed.

She half expected them to land with a thud before rolling off the mountain top, but they didn't. Instead they tumbled into water. The temperature change made Katara gasp and suck in some clear liquid. Aang loosed his grip on her as they both resurfaced. Katara coughing, Aang sucking in a deep breath. Katara scrambled to the edge of the bath, spluttering and trying to dislodge the water that had taken position in her lungs. Desperately, Katara made a drawing motion with her hand in front of her mouth, bending the water out of her lungs. As she felt it slide forcefully up her throat, she gagged slightly. Once she dispelled the liquid, she took a deep shuddering breath. Aang waded over to her and rubbed her back, making slow lazy circles against the now wet fabric of her tunic.

She managed to rasp out a 'thank you' before moving away from him. The bath he had constructed was surprisingly deep. It came to Katara's chest, but Aang's waist and was about eight feet in diameter. Katara moved to the other side of the mini-pool, making an unbroken line of ice across the surface to separate them.

Aang said nothing. Instead he rested his elbows on the ledge of the bath, making the muscles of his chest draw tight. Any trace of the carefree Avatar she knew was gone, replaced by a man who didn't know his place in the world.

Katara crossed her arms under her bust, forcing her breast up slightly and turned away from him with a scowl on her face. She didn't see the smirk that tugged at his lips.

"You can't stay mad at me forever, Katara."

It was the first time he had spoken to her in five days. She whipped her head around to face him, the water around her bubbling to reflect her irritation.

"Oh, so you're talking to me now?" she spat.

"Only if you want me to, Katara."

"Well, I don't. So you may as well get out and fly off again so I can bathe myself in peace."

He grinned. "If you aren't talking to me, what do you think you were just doing?"

Katara opened her mouth, and then closed it again. She made a noise of frustration. "That's not the point, Aang! You've made it perfectly clear to me that you don't want me and how you feel about where we stand relationship-wise, so save me the sob story and just leave, okay?"

Aang raised his brow in question, his smirk disappearing.

"You think I don't want you, Katara?" He looked genuinely puzzled, which only made her more irritable.

"Gah! You _finally_ got what you wanted, and then you left. So yeah, I think you made it clear that you don't want anything to do with me." She stared into the distance, taking a sudden interest in the mountain range. _Hmm… they seem familiar_.

"Katara, look at me please." Reluctantly, she faced him and glared at the young air nomad.

"I only left because you told me to, Katara." He pointed out. That drew her up short.

"Again, that's not the point! You got what you wanted. I gave it to you freely so I can't hate you for that, but I can hate myself. You got what you wanted. Now you can move on. Don't let me stand in your way." Her voice got softer as her eyes watered. Again, she dropped her gaze. Aang chose not to speak, knowing she would open up in due time. If Katara felt like she was being backed into a corner, like she did now, she would come out swinging. Literally. It also didn't help that he was waist deep in her natural element.

The surface of the water rippled as a tear slipped down to her chin before dropping to join the water below. She shuddered. Her voice was small when she spoke next.

"Why don't you want me? I know you wanted us to be together for so long, but I just needed time. Why wouldn't you give me that much, Aang?"

Her sobs gained momentum and soon they wracked her body. Through the haziness of her tears, she noted Aang wading through the water towards her. She felt the water warm slightly as he heated his body with fire bending to simply melt the ice divider she had constructed. She turned her back on him, but he still approached. His warm body enveloped hers into an embrace, her back to his front. He rested his head atop of hers, and graciously didn't say a word, just letting her cry.

If he didn't want her then why was he still being so tender? Did he hope that he could have a second go, if he did what he thought she wanted? And why was she considering letting him take her again?

_Because you're in love with the Avatar_, her mind whispered.

When her tears ceased, he continued to hold her. He turned her gently and embraced her again, letting her clutch him to her, nails digging into his shoulder blades. He didn't care. Her face buried into his chest against his heart, feeling and hearings it steady tempo.

His voice was incredibly gentle and genuine when he spoke to her. "I want you Katara. Only you. I've loved you ever since I saw your face when I came out of the iceberg. You found me, and helped me find myself and my life path. How could I not want the woman I love so much?"

Her voice was muffled as she spoke against his skin. "Because Sokka would kill you."

He chuckled, his chest vibrating. It made her smile, albeit weakly. He leaned back far enough so he could look her in the eye. "Only you."

Her smile was sad and bordered on empty. "If only I could believe that, Aang…"

He frowned, confused at why she wouldn't believe him. He had protected her whenever she was in danger. He had provided for her when the times were dire. He had _killed_ to keep her safe if it meant he could have her in his arms and in his bed one day. In a way, he was incredibly selfish. He would sacrifice anything for her, and here she was _telling_ him he didn't want her?!

He noticed Katara shrinking away from him, trying to duck under his arm. He growled and reached for her, only to see his tattoos flickering blue. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to calm and try to keep Katara within his reach. When the light faded, he faced Katara who was wide eyed in fear, bottom lip quivering. Aang would never forget that look of fear as she gazed up at him, and made a promise to himself to never see that expression again.

"Why don't you believe me, Katara? What did I do to make you not trust me?" he asked.

"I accepted you into my body. I accepted you to a place where no other person has ever ventured, and then you just _reject_ me…" Fresh tears welled in the corners of her beautiful ocean blue eyes. Aang remained silent, willing her to continue with his eyes.

"We were together, and- and it was wonderful. But then you just…" She choked back a sob. "Then you just finish yourself off? I wasn't even worth you giving yourself to me wholly, completely. You never wanted me in the first place. You just wanted something that you couldn't have for so long."

He grasped her chin and guided her to face him, silver eyes meeting aqua.

"I didn't do that because I don't want you Katara. I know you still want to do so much in this life. I was protecting you. I didn't know you wanted children so early."

Katara frowned. "I don't. At least I don't think I do. We're both still young. You still have your Avatar duties to attend to."

"Then why are you so upset? If I had come inside of you, there was the risk you could have fallen pregnant. I wasn't rejecting you."

Katara eyed him with a guarded look. He could see flickers of emotions running through her, yet couldn't decipher any of it.

Protecting her. Protecting himself. He had ejaculated outside of her so she wouldn't fall _pregnant_ to him. He hadn't rejected her. He had even seen to her pleasure before finding his own. He had protected her, denied his most urgent instincts, for her. And she had reacted horribly.

Aang waited with bated breath for Katara's conviction.

"Was it hard? Was it hard to pull out of me?" Her question caught him off guard. He wasn't sure what he thought would come out of her mouth, but he knew that was certainly not it.

He found himself answering her anyways. "Yes. It was. I wasn't even aware that I had so much will power. You are amazing, Katara. Don't let anyone tell you different"

Her heart swelled for this broken, damaged Avatar. His demons would have to take a backseat, just for tonight.

Tonight, she would make love to her nomad, and she would love him with all of her heart.

Cupping his face with one hand, she placed a sweet kiss on his lips, feeling him melt against her. "Make love to me again, Aang. This time, I want all of you."

She made to tug him out of the bath, but he didn't budge.

"Uh, Katara? Since we're in the bath already, did you want to wash yourself?"

Katara looked down and was surprised to see she was still wearing her clothes.

She let out an embarrassed laugh. She had completely forgotten she was still fully clothed. An idea popped into her head. Deciding to act on it quickly, before she lost her nerve, she faced Aang. Her eyes devoured him, and he felt his cock stir. A simple look from this woman could set him on edge. Now that he had a taste of her, he would never let her go. He would hold onto his sweet tasting water bender like a selfish child with a new toy. He didn't see anything wrong with that.

She stripped off her shirt, revealing her plump breasts. She couldn't wear her bindings since Aang had destroyed them some nights ago. She approached him, stopping before him so their skin just touched. Aang shivered at the contact and felt himself harden even more.

"Why don't you join me? Since we're both…_wet_." Katara leant up to tug his earlobe between her teeth. A jolt of electricity ran through him. His hands flew to her hips, dragging her closer to him, his length pressing into her abdomen. Still at his ear she whispered, "I've been having trouble washing somewhere, Aang. Will you help me?" Her hand dipped below the water to grasp him through the drenched fabric. He bucked into her warm palm, groaning.

"Wh- where do you need me to help you, Katara?" he stammered.

Katara leant back and gazed at him, a seductive smile playing on her bow lips. Her hand shifted to grasp him underneath his pants, her eyes darkening. She was teasing him.

And Spirits help him if he didn't love this new side to her.

**A/N: awwwwwww, they made up! ... kind of. Or did they? :P PLEASE REVIEW!**


	8. Chapter 8

"Uh, Sokka? Why are we heading towards Omashu?" Toph exclaimed.

"Because it's the last stop before we reach the western shores. If Aang has Katara, then he would be heading towards the conflict areas. He may have gone crazy, but he still has a duty as the Avatar. Besides, how did you know where we were going? You're blind!"

Toph shrugged and said "Mountain air?" Sokka made an 'oh' face.

Suki rolled her eyes. "Sokka, we were talking about it before we left, remember?"

"Oh yeah," he said, and then proceeded to glare at Toph.

"There they are!" Shouted Toph, pointing towards the Kolau Mountain Range. Suki and Sokka tumbled over themselves to lean out of the saddle as far as they could to scan the ground.

"Where?" asked Sokka.

Toph burst into laughter as Suki realised the joke. She crossed her arms and glared at Toph. "That isn't funny Toph. Sokka, get back in the saddle before you fall out!"

Sokka pouted, but sunk into the saddle anyways.

Toph wiped the tears from her eyes. "Oh man, you two are too easy! I'm _blind_, remember?" She waved her hand in front of her useless eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry if we're too concerned for my _sister_, Toph. We can't all be heartless only children like you." Sokka returned to his place at Appa's reigns.

_Okay, that stung_, thought Toph. "Whatever Sokka. Katara is fine. Twinkle Toes wouldn't hurt her. I mean, think about it. The whole reason he went into the Avatar state to begin with was to _protect_ Katara. Sure, maybe he took it too far and went crazy on those fire benders, but why would he go out of his way to save her, only to hurt her?"

This revelation was met with silence. Satisfied they wouldn't bother her for the time being, Toph turned her face to feel the wind brush against her.

She had always felt like the black sheep of the group. Everyone had someone to sleep next to during the night. Except her. Seven years on, and the lovey-dovey atmosphere was finally starting to rub her the wrong way. It wasn't their fault that they fell in love, she supposed. But still, why did they have to do it around her? Sure, she couldn't _see_ a damn thing, but the way their heart beats sped up told her enough.

The way the couples acted around each other made it seem like love was the be-all-and-end-all. _Pfft_, she thought. _Love doesn't do anything but make you miserable_.

Sokka loved his sister, but was worried sick every time something happened to her.

Oh, Katara got splashed by Aang? _What a nightmare!_

Katara fell over the rock I bent to keep her away from me? _Oh, sorry about that but what part of 'leave me the fuck alone' didn't she get?_

Aang kidnapped Katara? _Well, why don't we just start another war?!_

She was really beginning to wonder whether she was the blind one here.

She knew Twinkle Toes. He would rather die than hurt Katara. But Sokka, the 'sarcasm and meat' guy was already making assassination plans for when they finally found the two.

Suki's voice drifted on the breeze to her. "We're all worried, Sokka. Even Toph."

"No, I'm not Suki. Aang wouldn't hurt her," she snapped. Suki spun her head to face the blind earth bender.

"Toph, how can you not be worried? You saw what Aang did to those men."

Toph huffed. "Listen honey, what part of 'I am _blind_' didn't you get? Do you want me to get Sokka to draw you a fucking diagram? Maybe it'll polish his art skills!"

That struck a nerve in the Kyoshi warrior. "At least Sokka feels something! You are just a dull, wet blanket _completely_ devoid of emotion! Sure, you had a crappy childhood, but you have spent almost half of your life roaming around with the Avatar. But is that enough? Noooooo. Build an earth bridge and get over it already!" By the end of her spiel, Suki was nose to nose with Toph and breathing heavily. Sokka looked on, stunned and not saying a word.

Toph palmed Suki's face, pushing her backwards and stood up, balancing in the saddle.

"Whatever, Suki. Good luck with this one Sokka," she said, shoving her thumb in Suki's direction. "I'm sure you two will make beautifully stupid kids together."

Suki cried out in outrage.

Before Suki could tackle the Blind Bandit, Toph leapt over the edge of the saddle, bending a large hole in the side of the closest mountain before closing it, disappearing inside.

Aang lowered Katara down onto his shirt, making a mental note to get new padding for the pallet. He didn't plan to leave the mountain top any time soon. After stripping, she had made sure he helped her 'bathe', resulting in multiple orgasms and her screaming his name. When he was satisfied that she was content, he had lifted her out and bent the water off of her. Gently, he lifted her, Katara wrapping her legs around his waist and brought him in for a deep, searing kiss. The both moaned when the tip of his cock met her core, however brief. Blindly, he had carried her inside the earth tent until he found the pallet.

Katara's body fit perfectly against his own. Where he was lean and athletic, she was all curves and soft skin. She was his forever girl. He pressed down onto her, her legs stroking his arse and the top of his thighs as she arched into him. It felt strange, but good. Moving her hands between them, Katara gently massaged the plains of his chest, marvelling at how firm yet soft they were. She had seen him grow into a fit and healthy man, and secretly wondered what his chest and torso would feel like. Now she knew.

She gently kneaded his pecs, her fingers brushing over his nipples. He sucked in a surprised breath and looked down at her.

"Do that again," he pleaded softly.

Fanning out her hands, she stroked them across his chest, skimming his nipples. He shuddered at the bizarre and electric feeling.

"Like that?" she asked. He nodded.

"Here, let me try that on you," said Aang. Leaning on one elbow, he lifted the weight of her breast, squeezing and kneading lightly before thrumming his fingers over her nipples. Her eyes went slightly wide before she moaned. He smirked as he watched her. Her eyes shut so she could rely on her other sense, which he was thoroughly enjoying assaulting. Katara was a lusty one once she opened her mind to the world of pleasure.

And Aang would gladly be the noble nomad to introduce her to it.

He stopped his ministrations and she blinked up at him, her lids opening slowly and her eyes now a darker, almost midnight, blue. Biting her lip, she pushed at his shoulders, manoeuvring him onto his back. She straddled him, but didn't make any move to impale herself on him. Instead, she swept her hair over her shoulder and planted a soft, sweet kiss on his lips. Aangs hands went to her waist and he stroked her soft mocha skin with his thumbs. Katara kissed her way from his mouth, along his jaw to his ear, where she nibbled on his earlobe. Aangs grip on her waist tightened infinitesimally, making her grin. He was trying so hard to keep his composure.

"Oh, Avatar. The things I could do to you…" she murmured in his ear.

Aang groaned and felt himself stiffen to the point of painful, his cock prodding her behind.

Katara continued nibbling, sucking and kissing her way down his throat, to his chest, then his stomach. Aang felt giddy with excitement, her destination now clear.

He could do nothing but watch her as her tongue darted out, tasting the skin just above his navel. It tickled slightly, but he didn't mind. That tongue would soon be doing a lot more than just tasting. She nuzzled the line of hair that led down to his manhood. Her small, warm hands glided up his thighs and he felt his control starting to slip. Her mouth hovered just above the tip of his cock, her hot breath like a caress. It made his length twitch slightly.

He opened his mouth, about to tell her to do something before he decided to take over when her pink tongue flicked out to taste him. His eyes rolled back and his neck was suddenly too weak to hold his head up. One of his hands wound its way through her hair, gripping her in place and tugging slightly. It wasn't enough to hurt her, just to guide her.

Katara watched, mesmerized, as Aang lost all rational thought. She had made the Avatar weak at the knees. She had never felt more powerful than she did right at this moment.

The hand he had speared through her hair clutched her, but it didn't hurt. Testing the waters, she flicked her tongue out again, this time trailing it down the underside of his length. He moaned, and she grinned. _At least I'm doing something right_, she thought.

A small bead of liquid rose from the slit at his tip. Curious, she ran her tongue across it. It tasted salty, but not unpleasantly so. It was Aang's unique taste and she rather enjoyed it.

Leaning forward, she wrapped her lips around his head, suckling and flicking her tongue at the same time.

"Spirits, Katara!" His voice was hoarse and filled with lust.

Feeling brave, she drew him in deeper and wrapped one of her hands around his base. He was too big for her to take in completely. She felt him twitch against her tongue as he moaned. She felt a familiar heat spread through her, and the dampness between her legs grew. She rose up, before sucking him in again. The hand in her hair tightened and tugged, but again not enough to hurt. She continued suckling him and pumping him with her fist, changing pressure and speed until she found one that made him shake. His cock swelled even thicker and Katara guessed he was close. His breaths were coming out as pants mingling with her moans of pleasure around him. In the heat of the moment, she moved her other hand to cup his balls, hefting their weight into her palm. He swore loudly and his body stiffened. Katara couldn't help the smug feeling that washed over her. Aang hardly ever swore and she was sure he did it subconsciously because he was too lost in the moment.

She increased her speed, sucking him down as far she could, all the while pumping his base with her fist.

"Katara, I'm about to come. Pull away, Katara."

He lifted his head, his eyes wide when she didn't pull away, instead moaned around him and increasing her speed. His hips gently thrust, forcing her to take in more of him. When she gently squeezed his testicals and flicked the tip of his cock at the same time, it was his undoing. He gave a brutal yell, trying to pull her away as he orgasmed and ejaculated. Instead she sucked even more greedily as he shot into her hot mouth, against her tongue.

When he was spent, he noticed Katara swallowing his seed. He didn't know why, but it caught him as odd. In all his learnings, he had never heard of a woman swallowing a mans seed. He should have had more self-control, should have tried harder to pull her away. What if she was disgusted by his taste? Suddenly ashamed of himself, he stood and slipped through the tents entrance, letting the night air kiss his heated skin as he stared up at Yue. She was full tonight and bathed the landscape in a magical silver glow.

Katara followed him a few moments later, fully dressed.

"Aang? Did I do something wrong?"

He sighed and faced her. "No, you didn't Katara. I'm sorry." She wasn't wholly convinced, instead crossing her arms and eying him closely.

"What is it Aang?"

"Nothing."

She snorted before saying "_Sure_ it is. Did you not enjoy yourself? You looked like you were, but-"

"No, you were amazing, Katara. Don't doubt that." He interrupted.

Her face relaxed into a relieved smile. "Then what is it?"

"It's nothing." He turned away from her.

"Aang," she said, sternly. "You can talk to me. You know that. What's wrong?"

"I told you, it's nothing."

He heard her march up to him, and then she was in his face, poking his chest.

"Look, Aang. Don't try this 'holier-than-thou' crap. I can tell when something is bothering you. If you can't talk to me, then what's the point of us being together?"

His eyes flickered blue, showing her she had crossed some sort of line. Just like he did that first night they had slept together, he snatched her wrist and held her firm. Again, she winced but his grip never relented.

"Leave well enough alone, Katara. I told you it is nothing, so drop it." His tone was icy.

Any other time she would have recoiled, but her own ire was beginning to rise. She had known him long enough to tell when something was wrong, had always approached her with his concerns, and now he was shutting her out? For a man who claimed he wanted her and wanted to be in a relationship with her, he was doing a pretty good job of pushing her away.

"Aang, you're hurting me."

His grip still didn't loosen. In fact, she could have sworn it tightened.

"Aang. Let me go."

He snorted. "Not until you agree to drop this."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not until you let me go."

"Well, I guess we're at a stale mate." His gaze flickered to her lips, which she had a tendency to purse when she was mad. He lowered his head to kiss her.

Katara pulled back. He thought it was okay to kiss her now? Heck no! She was still mad at him! Why wouldn't he open up to her now, when he had so many times before?

"Don't you dare. You can't kiss me and think everything will be okay, Aang. Now, let me go." She spat.

He finally released her hand, her fingers now numb and a red ring around her wrist. She slapped him. Eyes closed, his head forced to the side and his jaw clenched, a muscle ticking.

"Don't you ever, _ever_ do that again. When I say let me go, you _will_ let me go. Or else, you won't get to come in my line of sight again. Do you understand me, Aang?"

Her face was contorted into an angry grimace. Slowly, he faced her and opened his eyes.

Her heart stopped. They were glowing.

In a panic, she bent water from the bath to slam into him, forcing him backwards to collide with the wall of the tent. She froze him to the earthen wall. His eyes were still glowing and they had fixated on her. He said nothing.

He melted the ice in an instant, brushing off any ice crystals that had stuck to him and advanced on her. His expression was determined and Katara felt fear rise up in her chest.

"Aang, stop. This isn't you. Come back to me. Please, Aang." She pleaded.

His steps faltered when she said his name, but he still advanced.

His arm rose above his head and she closed her eyes, hands raised to shield herself. She was expecting a blow that never came. After a moment, she cracked open an eyelid to see Aang frozen in place, his eyes still aglow. It took her a few seconds to get over the shock to realise she was blood bending him. Her fear had triggered the horrendous power, the full moon feeding it. Seizing opportunity, she forced his arms to clamp by his sides before she threw him through the earth tent wall. Spinning on her heel, she bent the remaining bath water into an ice board and didn't hesitate as she threw herself of the edge of the mountain.

Sparing a glance back as she sped down the mountain slope, she saw the figure of Aang standing as still as a statue on the edge of the mountain top.

His eyes were still glowing as she ran from him.

**A/N: Thank you to all who have reviewed this story! But, I still wouldn't mind a few more! :) Had someone complain to me about my 'slow' updating. In reply, i say 'Oh, I'm sorry, is a chapter a day ****_not_**** keeping the doctor away?' Sorry I have a life, sheesh. I try to post a chapter every day, and let me tell you, but 3am my ideas dont make much sense. So i go to sleep, ****_like a normal person._**

**If any of you guys think I'm a bit harsh and blunt, all I have to say is, I'm Australian, it's kinda in the job description :P**

**PS: sorry to break Kataang up again, but i swear this story has a happy ending! So no haters, please :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Aang was outside of his body, watching himself. He saw himself naked and standing at a precipice, watching Katara fall, out of his reach and disappear into the silver night. His chest ached at the sense of loss. He felt a strange pulling sensation, and then he was being pulled back into his physical self. The reconnection of his Spirit self and his physical self felt as if he were being dragged down into the freezing depths of the ocean, only to feel weightlessness, then the impact of landing on earth. He staggered slightly, blinking his eyes a number of times until he could see through them. He was alone on the mountain top. And Katara had fled from him. All he could remember was her constant berating, the voice in his head snickering and telling him he was unworthy of her, unworthy for the world and unworthy of being the Avatar. His memory was blank until he felt a sting in his cheek from where she had slapped then, then he was observing himself in ethereal form, horrified by what he saw. He still had some control over himself when he went into the Avatar state, but this time he had been mindless. He had tried desperately to stop himself from hurting and intimidating her. He had a made a promise, after all.

When his body raised its arm, as if to strike her down, he felt sick, and twisted. He was about to witness himself harming the woman he loved more than the air itself. All the while, he could still hear the voice laughing at his misery. Even though he was nothing but vapour in the air, he still felt a tingle shoot up his spine as Katara raised her hands and blood bent him. That kind of power could reach through different plains. And now he was standing on a mountain top, staring at the space where Katara had been only moments before.

He didn't cry at the loss. He didn't scream. In truth, he didn't know what to feel, so he chose to feel nothing. Feeling nothing was safe. It didn't hurt anyone. Pacing, Aang concluded that he would continue on to Omashu. In the days which he had left Katara alone he had often found himself flying over the mountainous city. His dear old friend, Kind Bumi, had since passed. Between his passing and now, the city had fallen into chaos. The walls that surrounded its steep and rocky foundations acted like a cage. The new King of Omashu, Kian, had little interest in walking amongst the people like Bumi did. He would prefer to sit on his newly anointed throne and watch the riches pour in. Bumi had no legitimate children, so the responsibility of Omashu landed on his second cousin, Kian.

Aang had met the middle aged earth bender a handful of times. Kian had always thought himself above the Avatar, choosing to show respect, but only just, and only if the situation was in public. Master Piandao and Aang had tried to get him to sign various peace treaties and trading route applications.

He had turned them away every time. Aang recalled a disturbing conversation between himself and Master Piandao a few weeks ago as they travelled towards Omashu for Kian's signature regarding a shortened trading route between Whale Tail Island and the Fire National Capitol.

_Master Piandao and Aang sat in comfortable silence for a while. Daydreaming, Aang jumped slightly as Piandao addressed him. _"_The great city of Omashu was built as a beacon of peace between two warring villages. For a long time it had remained that way. Now it seems that Kian is determined to turn it into a battle field. Be on your guard, young Avatar. Kian has no true interest in peace. Omashu's smithy's produce high revenue for the city, profiting from deals both on and under the table. He would rather start a war against you than lose that profitability. Be wary. If Kian feels as though he is being cornered, he will not hesitate to use the force available to him to try and expel you from the city, Aang. Reports have been reaching me about the crime rates there. The time it started to rise above the average was about the same time the first western shore village was hit by the fire nation loyalists. Please Aang, be wary._" _Aang had frown at his words, but all the same, he absorbed every last one._

Aang speared his legs through his pants before gathering his shirt from the pile of shrubs and foliage. He opened his glider, making short work of returning the earth tent to the ground, and took flight.

If he was to help the world, he would start at Omashu.

If the streets had to be swept clean of the scum that lived beneath the city, he would start at Omashu.

If he wasn't so selfish, he would go to visit Bumi's tomb.

Only in Omashu.

"…so then I said, 'I'm sure you two will have beautifully stupid kids together!" Toph chuckled. "I should be a comedian. Don't you think so?"

The large badger-mole simply huffed, offering neither approval nor denial.

Toph exhaled, blowing a lock of hair from her eyes. Although she was blind, she did this out of habit more than practicality. For some reason, everyone always looked her in the eyes, knowing she couldn't look back. _People are weird_, she thought.

She had remained in her little tunnel for a few days now. Or at least she thought it had been a few days. She couldn't feel the suns heat while deep in the earth, and she was fine with that. In her tunnel, she was surrounded by her natural element, like a warm blanket or a comforting hug from a parent. Toph could relate to the warm blanket comparison… not so much the parental. Her parents had rather put her away in a glass case, preferring to look at her rather than touch her. So she was a defective child, so what? Her obstacles still didn't stop her from becoming the greatest earth bender in the world. Toph pondered her predicament. Suki was a fierce motherly type. If Toph were a different person, she would appreciate it, but having to depend upon herself for all of her life made her stubborn and unused to doing anything by other peoples standards. She did things her way, and that was that. There were no illusions of 'better outcomes' that way. If Toph didn't see the task at hand as being beneficial to her, then she nullified it. And she repeated the process until she found something she could work with. When she had become the Blind Bandit in the underground Earth Rumble arena, it was a win-win. She could escape her parents _and_ practice her bending; all the while earning the respect that wasn't influenced by her last name or bank balance. And then the Avatar came along and she refused to teach him. She had been stubborn and unmoving, not wanting to upset her parents, even though she felt they may as well never have had a child. The only reason she had joined Aang was because her parents had told her she couldn't. That night, as she had punched through the ten foot high wall that surrounded her parent's property, she had never felt freer... and she had never felt more like a criminal. Her parents were overprotective to a fault, going so far as to keep her a secret from the world. But they had loved her, even if they had a funny way of showing it.

"Righto, Toph. That's enough of the pity-party today." She said aloud. Some part of her was hoping to hear a reply, but none came. Sighing, she stood up and stretched. The badger moles had carved an almost perfect circle into the rock of the mountain, offering her a small haven where she could collect her thought. But now she was _hungry_.

She could feel a network of tunnels below her feet, so she bent a hole large enough for her to drop into them from above. She meandered through the tunnels. She was alone, deep in the earth, with just herself and her thoughts. _Should be fun_, thought Toph.

Like the badger mole den, the walls were as naturally round as Aang was bald.

Given, he shaved almost every day, but still. She had a point to make here! What was it?

Oh yeah.

Suki was a bitch when she wanted to be.

As Toph veered down what she thought could only be a corner, she came to an abrupt stop.

The person she had run into was breathing heavily, almost on the verge of panic-attack.

Toph bounced slightly as her backside connected with the earth. Dusting herself off, but only just, she rose and decided that this person had wronged her and they needed to know that they were messing with Toph Bei Fong, the world's greatest earth and metal bender.

"Look, _buddy_. Why don't you watch where you're going? I could have died!" cried Toph, with mock tears and worry.

The figure, that had been standing perfectly still before, now began to walk. In the opposite direction. Away from her.

That's when Toph caught the tempo of this strangers heartbeat. She stomped the ground, causing four shoulder height walls to close around the figure, taking in slight satisfaction at the sound of their whining struggles.

As Toph neared, the beating became clearer. The heart rate was going so fast she could have danced to the rhythm.

Toph reached out and touched one of the rock walls with her finger tips before walking in a circle around the encased visitor. She came to a stop before, what she assumed, the strangers face. Encased in her rock strait-jacket was the last person she had expected to see so soon. She offered a small, reassuring smile.

"Welcome to my humble abode. Shall I give you the grand tour?" Toph asked with sickly sweet kindness. She dropped the rock back into the earth.

"Nice to see you again Toph."

"I know, right? What are you doing here, Katara?"

Katara rubbed her arms, the damp chill of the cave sinking into her. As Katara ha sped to put as much distance between her and Aang, she had run across a travelling band of gypsies. The candle she had managed to trade her water skein for was dangerously low.

"Aang and I had a little… disagreement. He wanted me to stay, and I wanted to go."

Toph raised a brow but didn't question further. That was one of the aspects of Toph that everyone could rely on; she knew when to listen and when to have her say. And you could always trust her to be blunt and honest, even if it's not what you want to hear.

"Well you have come to the right place, Sweetness. Nothing says 'I need space' more than a labyrinth of tunnels while you hide out from your crazy boyfriend."

Katara rolled her eyes. One thing struck her as odd about their encounter.

"Toph?" Katara asked.

"Mmm?"

"Where is Sokka and Suki? I thought you would have accompanied them to the western shores."

Toph folded her arms against her chest and planted a scowl on her face.

"Your brother and his pig-cow of a girlfriend chose not to listen to my rational conclusions, so I ditched them. They're probably at Omashu by now."

Katara frowned when Toph spoke of Suki in such a manner, but let it slide. She didn't need to deal with another conflict tonight. All she needed was a friend. Toph began walking down a tunnel, indicating that Katara should follow. They walked in silence a majority of the time, the quiet only broken by the sound of Toph spitting on the ground. Katara's candle flickered briefly before the flame died completely, plunging Katara into darkness.

Toph may be used to lack of sight, but for Katara felt the blackness start to choke her as panic set in. Just before she was about to scream out for Toph, a small green glow appeared up ahead.

"Toph, do you see that?" She asked, striding to stand next to the earth bender.

Toph's fist collected with Katara's shoulder before she waved her hand in front of her face, her eyebrows raised in an 'are-you-really-that-stupid?' look.

"Oh, right. Sorry. But there's a green light up ahead. My candle just ran out. Think we should check it out?"

Toph shrugged. "Couldn't hurt I guess."

Side by side, they walked briskly towards the glow. As they neared, Katara's gaze was drawn upwards. The tunnel rood had risen into a cathedral shape, green crystals luminous against the brown earth.

Katara stared at the marvel, mouth agape. Realisation hit her like speeding ostrichorse.

"Toph, why did you choose to escape to here? I mean, do you even know where you are?"

"I don't know. In a way, the mountain was calling to me. But then Suki chimed in and ruined it." Katara giggled. "Why? Do _you_ know where we are?"

Katara nodded, only to flush a little as she remembered that Toph was blind.

"Yes, I do."

Toph waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't. She got the sense that Katara was having a flashback of some memory from long ago. "Uh, Katara?"

Katara gently shook her head, dispelling her flashback.

"Yeah, I know where we are. We're in the heart of the Kolau Mountain Range on the outskirts of Omashu. We're in the Cave of Two Lovers."

**A/N: Before any of you ask, NO, this is not going to turn into a lesbian experience for EITHER on them. To find out what happens, you're gonna have to be patient and have faith in me. So far it seems like Ive spun a good tale and you've all enjoyed it, so trust me when i say 'TRUST ME!'**

**PS: I am so NOT homophobic in any way, i just have a path that i would prefer this story to follow :)**


	10. Chapter 10

_Katara's feet were painfully numb. She didn't know how long she and Aang had been walking for, lost in the labyrinth. All she knew was that the comforting glow of the candle Aang held would die any second. On the outside she was calm, but inside she was terrified. Yes, she had Aang to hold, but in the cold underground it was of little comfort._

_"We're going to run out of light any second now, aren't we?"_

_ "I think so," she said, trying to stop the panic from reaching her voice._

_"What are we gonna do?" Katara turned and went to her friend. His voice sounded lost and almost hopeless echoing around the tunnel._

_"What can we do?" She answered his question with another question; one that sounded equally as disheartened._

_She reached to rest her hand atop of his, the soothing light of the candle already beginning to fade. Aang glanced down, noting how warm her hand was despite the near frigid temperatures of being below the surface. He looked her in the eyes, giving her a sad but reassuring smile._

_Katara felt her heart rate sped up as they shared this private moment, despite Appa being a few feet away. She felt a strange tugging sensation in her chest and next thing she knew she was leaning towards him, her gaze flicking between his lips and his eyes._

_Their faces were only inches apart when the light gave out._

_She waited for their lips to meet with a fluttering heart and suddenly dry mouth. But it never came. She remained still in the darkness, hand still on top of his, using him as a lifeline to keep her from collapsing into herself in sheer panic. She tightened her grip on his hand a little. Before she could hyperventilate, the tunnel around her began to grow a soft, luminescent green. She tilted her gaze up and gasped. The roof was dotted with light that gradually grew brighter._

_"It made of some kind of crystals. They must only light up in the dark!" Aang noted._

_The inscription below the two lovers' crypts came back to Katara. "That's how the two lovers found each other! They just put out their lights a followed the crystals." The crystals didn't seem natural. Instead, it looked as though someone had deliberately placed them there. She followed the radiant line of crystal. It led further into the cave. "That must be the way out!" She was overwhelmed with a sense of relief that she focused solely on getting into the fresh air and sunlight._

_"So, um…" Aang faltered. Katara didn't hear him. Her mind was abuzz with the idea of finally being able to escape the claustrophobic cave._

_"Let's go!" With enthusiasm, she took off, heading in the direction of the crystals._

_She didn't see Aang's face fall._

"Uh, Katara?"

Toph's mildly concerned voice snapped her out of her reverie. Even back then Aang had loved her. He had tripped over his words and often made a fool of himself in front of her, but he had tried and was always true to his heart. Her heart ached for the loss of such innocent times, when the only things between Aang and herself was just simple attraction.

"Yeah, I know where we are. We're in the heart of the Kolau Mountain Range on the outskirts of Omashu. We're in the Cave of Two Lovers."

Toph made a face, her profile lit by the dim glow of the crystals.

"Even when I'm trying to get away from all this lovey-dovey wishy-washy crap, I still end up being surrounded by it," muttered Toph.

"What do you mean?" Katara looked down at her petite friend. She was a few inches shorter than Katara, but Aang and Sokka towered over both of them and Suki.

Toph averted her gaze. "Never mind. So, how do we get out of here?"

Katara raised a brow. "Couldn't you just use your earth bending to go to the surface?" she asked.

Turning her head, Toph tapped her chin with her forefinger. "Huh, now that you mention it, I could of. What you should be asking is 'why didn't I want to'?"

"Okay, why didn't you w-" Toph slapped her hand across Katara's mouth, effectively silencing her. Lucky she was blind because Katara had narrowed her eyes into a fierce glare that would bring her brother to his knees more often than not. Toph's voice was filled with irritation as she said "You and Twinkle Toes really don't understand the concept of 'rhetorical,' do you?" Dropping her hand, Toph turned her heel and started to make her way to the surface, a steaming Katara behind her.

Hours passed by and Katara's frustration with the earth bender had reduced to a simmer. Surprisingly they hadn't crossed any wolf bats or cave crawlers. The occasional rumble that bounced off the cave walls had made Katara skittish at first, thinking the cave was about to collapse until Toph reassured her it was just the badger moles rough housing with each other.

Toph had heard Aang, Sokka and Katara talk about this place. They had travelled to Omashu through the mountain with a band of musical nomads. Toph laughed on the inside to recall Sokka's shuddering each time they told her about the journey. Aang and Katara had gotten separated from Sokka, leaving him with the happy-go-lucky dimwits. Apparently, they weren't his type of people. _Huh, a dimwit who hates fellow dimwits_, thought Toph.

Gradually the crystals seemed to dull, making it difficult for Katara to see where she was stepping. Her eyes tried to adjust to the changing light. Her heart rate spiked as soon as she couldn't see more than two feet in front of her, Toph's olive green tunic slowly slipping out of sight. "Toph? It's getting darker. The crystals don't seem as bright. Maybe we made a wrong turn?" Katara's voice shook slightly. She tried to take a deep calming breath, but her lungs burned with the effort.

"What's wrong Katara? Scared of the dark?" Toph snorted. "Welcome to my world, honey. We didn't take a wrong turn. The entrance is near. If those crystals light the way, they probably didn't put any near the mouth of the cave, otherwise it would be too easy for people to follow the two lovers."

"I guess that makes sense. How much longer, do you think?" Katara's teeth started to chatter, even though the air was getting drier and warmer. She hugged herself as she broke out in a small sweat.

"Should be soon," stated the earth bender. "We'll only be walking for another few minutes."

"Ok-k-kay. Hey, T-toph?"

Toph stopped abruptly, Katara almost colliding into her. "What?"

"I'm s-s-sorry. I should ha-have realised sooner how you f-felt. It must b-be difficult having to watch us all t-together."

Toph faced her, and in the dim light Katara could see a frown wrinkling her brow.

"You don't have to apologise Katara. I don't need anyone but myself. I've relied on myself for so long, having someone would just slow me down. I'm better off on my own."

"Everyone needs someone, Toph," Katara whispered.

In the dark, Katara couldn't see Toph's stricken expression, as if she'd just been slapped. She also couldn't see a single tear track down her pale cheek. Silently, Toph grasped Katara's clammy hand and placed it on her shoulder.

"Come on," Toph said gently, a little distantly. "Hold onto me. We'll be out of here soon."

Katara dug her fingers into the earth benders shoulder. If she was hurting from the pressure of nails digging into her skin, Toph didn't show it. She headed towards the exit, an almost invalid Katara blindly following her lead; t_he blind leading the blind_.

No, she would never show weakness in front of another person again. She had cried only a handful of times in front of the GAang, and that was enough.

Toph felt the air change as they rounded a corner. Judging by Katara's squeal of delight and the release of pressure on her shoulder, Toph guessed the cave mouth had finally come into view. Katara sprinted for the exit, drawing on all her energy to push her outside into the afternoon sun. Hunched over with her hands on her knees, Katara sucked in fresh air, savouring the scent and feel of it. Toph approached her.

"How you feeling there, little missy?" She asked, her voice laced with amusement.

Katara frowned. "Better now. Thanks." Katara stood and turned towards the mountain pass that lay before them. "Omashu is about a half days walk from here. If we hurry, we can get there by sunset."

Just then, Toph's stomach growled. It was an angry sound.

Katara sighed. "Before you left Sokka and Suki, why didn't you grab a few provisions? How long were you in that cave for?" Toph scowled at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have forgotten to grab the kitchen sink while Suki was up in my face telling me what a heartless bitch I am." She shoved past Katara, stomping away.

Sighing again, Katara followed her.

She spared a glance back at the cave's entrance and automatically regretted it. The intricate carvings and declarations of love printed in the rock made her feel as if she was incomplete. She had given Aang something that a woman could only give once. She had given him her innocence. Yes, she was now a young woman, but she had always rejected advances from men who would try to coax her into giving them her virginity. She was tempted a few times but had always held back. In some way, she had always known she would be with Aang. She had hoped he would be her first, and only. But that all had changed. _He _had changed. They both had. Unable to go back in time, Aang would carry the guilt of knowing he had killed those men. He may see it as justified, but the guilt would eat at him, like a festering sore on his soul. He will never be the same, and Katara wasn't sure if she was strong enough to handle it. She loved him, but was that enough?

"Love is brightest in the dark," she whispered, remembering the inscription on Oma and Shu's tomb wall. _If only that were true_.

She moped behind Toph, the earth bender completely oblivious to the war that was going on inside Katara's head and heart. Katara had almost reached her breaking point.

_Stupid, loved up water bender. Stupid Sokka. Stupid Suki. Stupid Aang. Stupid everything!_ Toph's anger boiled just below the surface. Katara, who had dropped back a bit behind her, was strangely quiet. She played with the idea of making small talk, but knew it would just end up with Katara crying over Aang. _Stupid love. See? Nothing but misery. No one ever listens to me!_ So they continued on in uncomfortable silence. She would occasionally feel Katara's heart beat rise as she let her emotions run rampant. Emotions ruin everything. They conflicted with reality. Toph usually felt frustration and anger. _Because no one fucking listens to me!_ The story of her life, she supposed. She always saw the simple logic in every situation. She would pick it apart and reform it into something simple yet deadly. She often found that the more complex a plan or situation was, the more likely things were to be overlooked. Keep it simple, but be prepared for any outcome. She liked simple. Now everything was getting complicated. She was perfectly fine these last seven years, being the one who didn't have to step on eggshells around another person. She was the loud, obnoxious and logical one. Some people would see it as a nuisance but it had come in handy on more than one occasion. _Stupid people seeing only what they stupidly wanted to see. Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Venting in her head was okay for the most part, but she had wound herself up so much that it sought a physical outlet. Stopping dead in her tracks, Toph screamed and tore a chuck of earth from the mountain pass wall. Slamming it against the ground, she felt the earth vibrate with each impact, making her sight clear and sharp. Katara had frozen in place, watching her break apart. Angry tears spilled from her sightless eyes.

Toph screamed and slammed the rock into the ground until her throat was sore, her arm was dead and the rock was on the verge of crumbling.

Toph let her arms go limp to drop by her side, the rock shattering and dropping in a cloud of dust. The skitter of pebbles across the ground and Katara's coughing were the only sounds she could hear above her racing heartbeat. When the dust cleared and Katara could breathe easy, Toph had sunk to the ground, crying into her hands. Soft footsteps approached her and suddenly arms were around her.

"Shh, there, there Toph. Just let the tears come." Katara soothed.

Toph scolded herself for being so weak. She was above this! She was an earth bender, for Spirits sake! She was strong and unyielding! Not some emotional wreck like Suki or Katara. But the tears still flowed.

"I'm s-sorry Katara. I don't k-know why I k-keep crying," she choked out.

"Shh, don't think about that right now. Just let it out. Even earth benders need to cry sometime."

Katara had been so wrapped up in her own problems that she had failed to recognise her friend needed her. Sure, Toph probably would have just blown her off if she tried to get her to open up, but her breakdown would have come eventually, with or without her help. Secretly she was glad that she was seeing a side to Toph that people rarely saw. It took her back to the time she had dragged Toph to a beauty spa in Ba Sing Se. They had been pampered and had fun, and a few girls bitchiness had managed to break her down momentarily. Katara had seen the pain behind those milky eyes, but soon enough Toph had built the wall back up and acted as if nothing had happened.

"I just don't want to feel like this anymore. I'm so _angry_. And I feel so _alone_…" Toph's voice, usually so strong, now sounded helpless and lost. Katara's heart went out to her. She thought it a wise decision to stay quiet, instead just letting Toph open up to her without any prompt. Her body stopped shaking, but the tears still tracked down her delicate face.

"I'm sick of feeling alone. And seeing you with Aang, and Sokka with Suki, I always feel like I'm intruding or something. In a way, I guess I'm jealous. I want something that everyone seems to have, but have never been able to get for myself."

"Love," said Katara. Toph simply nodded. The strong and independent earth bender, the one who was quick to break the rules and play practical jokes, wanted to feel loved and love in kind. The kind of love that a woman could only get from a man. Katara held onto her friend, gently rubbing her back, not saying a word. She was about to tell Toph that her friends loved her, but it wasn't the same kind that she was searching for.

Gradually, the tears subsided and Toph's expression was neutral. Without warning, she stood, almost knocking Katara over in the process. Dusting herself off and rearranging her headband, Toph plastered on her signature scowl, pointing an accusing finger at Katara.

"If you tell _anyone_ what I just said, Katara, not only will I deny it, but I'll make sure you regret it." She spun on her heel, leaving a slightly stunned, but otherwise unsurprised Katara behind.

"Love is for sissies," Toph mumbled to herself as she put space between herself and Katara.

So why did she want to feel it so bad?

Her problems with Aang seemed to take a backseat as Katara stared at Toph's back. Only an hour before, the earth bender had confided in her her deepest wish. Big, tough Toph, the greatest earth bender in the world and inventor of metal bending, was actually a feeling human who craved love. But as quick as she had broken down, she had put her façade firmly back in place, then proceeded to threaten Katara with physical violence. Toph was back. But she was still reeling from her confession. The whole event replayed itself in her head over and over again. It felt surreal, but at the same time she was glad she had been there to support her friend.

Deep in thought, she didn't realise that Toph had stopped and crouched, hand to the ground.

"There's someone coming!" cried Toph. Katara snapped into the present, running to the Blind Bandit. Katara came to a skidding halt next to Toph who got into a horse stance, lifting a platform of earth that they were on, to slide up the side of the mountain pass so that they were overlooking it. The both ducked down onto their stomachs and crept towards the edge of the makeshift lookout.

"Do you think it could be renegades?" Whispered Katara.

Toph shrugged, instead focusing on the vibrations the company of two were eliciting as they made their way back into the mountain range towards the Cave of Two lovers. Toph plucked her headband from her hair, unravelling the green fabric.

"What are you doing?" Katara murmured. Toph ignored her and proceeded to wrap the fabric band around her face so it covered her nose, mouth and chin. Katara raised a brow but said nothing, returning her gaze to the narrow strip of earth of the pass. They waited patiently until they came into 'view.'

"There's only two of them," Katara whispered urgently. "They don't seem to be dressed as renegades, but then again they could have stolen the clothing…"

That speculation was enough for Toph. She leapt up and before Katara could protest, slid down the side of the mountain pass. A large fissure followed her down as the earth cracked, mirroring her own emotions. Releasing her anger at showing weakness in front of the water bender, she bent the most stubborn element to her will, punching large rocks in the direction of the two travellers. She was too emotional to feel if the blows landed, but wasted no time in procuring a second wave. Digging her hands into the earth and clenching her fists, she drew the earth upwards until she was standing on a column of rock. She punted a volley of rock slabs, yelling out in frustration. In her mechanical state, she didn't hear Katara yell out to her. She didn't sense that the two travellers had shielded themselves behind their own wall of rock. And she certainly didn't sense the rock aimed for her until it was too late. The impact winded her, and she dropped from her podium, thumping to the ground and her fabric band shift from her face to settle beside her. Before she slipped into unconsciousness, she heard Katara's worried cries, approaching footsteps and a male's shocked gasp.

"Toph?" A deep voice enquired from a far off distance.

Darkness took her.

**A/N: Okay so i know i havent written any lemony goodness in a while, but you randy lot have to be patient. I'm doing whats called 'telling a story'. Haha PLUS i'm on a roll! hopefully a new chapter shall be up sooner than my unofficial timeline. REVIEW PLEASE!**


	11. Chapter 11

The first thing Toph noticed was that she was being carried, because she couldn't see a damn thing. The next? She was against something hard… and _warm_. And it was moving with each breath. _Someone's chest?_ She remained still, not wanting to draw attention to herself. With her feet in the air, she was totally blind. Wracking her brain for an answer as to why she was in someone's arms, she recalled the moments before she had passed out. She was yelling in frustration at herself, and attacking two travellers who were possibly renegade fire benders. She had been so distraught that she hadn't noticed the travellers were earth benders and that they had tossed a rock at her to defend themselves. She noted how the strong arms cradled her delicately and she couldn't help but inhale the intoxicating blend of cut grass, citrus and male. She felt the man's chest vibrate as he talked to someone she didn't recognise, another male. Relief surged through her when she heard Katara's voice. She sounded calm, friendly even. She knew these men. Toph acted as if she had just woken up, stirring and groaning, and opening her eyes, even though they were useless.

"Katara?" Toph had meant to make her voice sound reedy and weak, but she didn't have to try because it really was.

Footsteps, then a hand on her forehead.

"Hey, you're awake. How are you feeling?" She asked, her voice gentle.

Toph made a move to sit up, and the muscle packed arms that had held her shifted so she could plant her feet on the ground. She was surprisingly steady on them.

"I'm okay. So, what did I miss?"

Katara looked at her friend with a smile. She couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice. "Well, those two travellers weren't fire benders."

Toph raised a brow. "Well yeah I kinda figured that." A throaty male chuckle came from behind her left shoulder. The warm sound sent a shiver up her spine. _What the hell?_

"They were earth benders. In fact, they're old friends!" Katara was being frustratingly obtuse about the identities of said earth benders.

Toph groaned with irritation. "Just tell me already! Who are you two? And don't try to sound vague like wittle pumpkin-pie over here." She hiked a thumb in Katara's direction. "I hate this 'going-in-circles' crap!"

"Nice to see you too, Toph," Another throaty chuckle. Toph felt colour drain from her face. She knew that voice, even though it had a lower timbre because he was older since last they saw each other all those years ago. Toph spun on her heel and flung her arms around the man. A brief hesitation, but the embrace was returned. _His hands are so warm…_

"Haru!" exclaimed Toph, her face buried into his neck. She couldn't help but savour his exotic and unique scent. Her eyes widened when she realised that the other two people in their rag-tag group had fallen silent, probably from shock at Toph _hugging_ someone, instead of giving them a bruise on the arm. Clearing her throat, Toph disconnected herself from Haru, sliding down his body. She couldn't help but notice the muscles hidden beneath his shirt. Blushing a little, she swung her fist to connect firmly with his shoulder.

Haru chuckled again. "I'm surprised that you didn't start flinging rocks at us when you woke, like you did back at the pass."

She rubbed the back of her neck, which she could feel heating from embarrassment. "Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. I wasn't exactly feeling myself."

"If anything, I'd say you were yourself. All raw power. Very impressive." A deeper, older voice chimed in.

"Toph, you remember Haru's father, Tyro?" Katara said. "He helped out with the Day of Black Sun invasion. I can't believe that it's been seven years!"

"Yeah Sugar Queen, I remember. Been rocking it, Tyro?" Toph smirked. _Ha! Earth bender pun. I'll save that one for later_, she thought.

The older man chuckled, similar to Haru's but more mature.

"I have indeed. You two, as well as Sokka and the Avatar, really inspired Haru and me. After the war ended, we made it our duty to travel through the Earth Kingdom, helping various villages clean up the mess. We were on our way to Omashu, but only got as far as the front gate. They turned us back. Kian has holed himself up in the city's palace." His voice turned cold as he spoke about the King of Omashu. Toph felt Haru stiffen beside her.

Kian was corrupt, preferring to rule from a comfortable chair. Any problem that arose within the city from the people, his usual response was 'banishment.' As a result, the city had become a hot spot for thieves and looters who were making the most of the suddenly abandoned shops and homes. The streets may have well been painted red with all the blood that has been spilled over the last six months. Many of the city's residents have fled, but the ones who stayed were either made targets night after night, or they were never heard from again. Bumi would be crying for what his beloved city has become as he rested in the Spirit World.

"We were heading to Omashu ourselves. Hopefully we'll meet up with Sokka and Suki there. Would you like to join us?" Katara piped up, her voice filled with excitement.

The Blind Bandit looked incredulously at the water bender. "I may be blind Katara, but I'm not deaf. Didn't you just hear what Tyro said? Kian isn't accepting anyone through the front gates. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't 'turned us back' usually mean the same as 'stay the hell out'?"

Haru chuckled again, and a shiver danced up Toph's spine. _What the hell is going on? I better not be getting sick, or else Sokka has signed a death wish. Stupid Sokka not washing his stupid hands before serving stupid dinner…_

Toph tuned out of the conversation between Tyro, Katara and Haru, instead focusing on all the fun ways to make Sokka go from tenor to soprano.

"Yoo hoo! Earth to Toph!" Katara's voice cut through her brainstorming.

Toph sighed. "Waving your hand in front of my face doesn't work Katara. I've tried and still can't see a damn thing."

Katara blushed a little and dropped her hand, feeling like an idiot as Haru and Tyro laughed. Toph opened her mouth, about to ask what the plan to get into Omashu was when her stomach growled again, effectively silencing the other three benders. She clutched her stomach as it tried to devour itself in its search for sustenance. The whole reason she had plopped into the Cave of Two Lovers was to find some food. Instead she found Katara who, unfortunately, wasn't exactly edible.

"The sun will be setting soon. We had best find a place to set up camp. We can talk about the plan to get into Omashu tonight and head off at dawn. We have enough food for all of us in Haru's pack. Anyone have a problem with that?" Tyro sounded cool, calm and collected. Assuming the other two would have shaken their heads, Toph followed suit.

Tyro nodded, a sharp inclination of his head before he set off, the three young adults following in his footsteps.

Nightfall had come and hey had camped on a rocky outcrop some miles away from Omashu. From their vantage point they could see the great city resting on its mountain, lamp light flickering in the buildings. The moon, having been full only a few days ago and now framed by stars, was beginning to wane but still cast silver light on the ground. A few grey clouds marred the tranquil sight. Haru had started a fire while Toph and Tyro constructed a simple overhang to shield them from the weather. Katara had gone to fetch fire wood and forage for any roots or berries that she could find. Digging into his pack, Haru removed a small metal pan and some dried meat and bread, ready to make a stew. Tyro was regaling stories to Toph about what happened after the Day of Black Sun invasion when he and the other adults were imprisoned. The antics in which he and Katara's father, Hakoda, had gotten up to while in lockdown never ceased to entertain. Haru smiled at the sight of his father entertaining the blind earth bender and busied himself with preparing dinner. Katara returned a few minutes later with kindling and root vegetables. It was too early in the season for berries to be ripe, she said. Haru stood up and went to make his way out of the camp site. Toph's voice made him pause.

"Going somewhere, big guy?" Her voice was smooth, like fire whiskey.

He glanced back. "I need water for the stew. On the way here I thought I smelt a stream nearby. I won't be long."

To his surprise, Toph rose from her relaxed pose next to the fire. "I'll come with you."

"Uh, okay." He turned away and headed in the rough direction of the creek. Toph jogged to catch up before falling into step next to him.

"So. Been a while, huh?" asked Toph. He couldn't help but smile as he looked down at her.

"Yeah it has. Seven years I believe. Last time I saw you, you were just a kid celebrating the end of a century long war. Now look at you. You're all grown up!"

"_Look_ at me? If I could, I would. Harsh reality check though, Haru? _I. Am. Blind._ Last time I checked anyways." A teasing smile pulled at the corner of her mouth.

"Oh, right. Sorry. So what have you been doing in the meantime?" Sidestepping an overhanging tree branch, he lifted it out of Toph's path, stopping when they came to a steep descent. He could hear the buzz of insects and running water. The stream must be close.

"Take my hand, Toph." She looked a little taken aback, her cheeks tinted pink.

"Why?"

"There's a pretty steep descent to navigate before we reach the stream. I figured it would be easier if we went down together rather than one at a time."

Toph didn't want to tell him that there was a rock wall a bit further along the path that they could easily climb down. Instead, she shut her mouth and nodded.

Haru took her hand in his, noting how delicate and small they seemed. But Toph Bei Fong was no delicate flower. She was a warrior who could handle her own. Haru had offered out of courtesy more than concern.

Toph felt warmth envelope her hand, and suddenly felt giddy. She frowned at the unfamiliar sensation. Gently, he tugged and soon they were sliding down the embankment. Toph was so lost in the feeling of her hand in his that she forgot to 'look' where she was going. As they reached the bottom, her foot stuck a rock, making her stumble. She let out a small yelp of surprise, silently berating herself for not paying attention. Feeling her start to fall, Haru pulled her upright, gripping her to his chest. He felt her hectic breathing from the rush of adrenalin, her breath warming his skin through his shirt. Her eyes were squeezed shut, no doubt an automatic response as her body prepared for the impact.

"You okay?" he asked her quietly.

She lifted her face, her visionless eyes unerringly finding his. They were the most amazing icy green colour. They were beautiful.

"Yeah," she breathed. They stood like that for a few moments, recovering from the shock of a near fall. Haru decided to really look at her for the first time today. He had spared her a few quick glances when they had set up camp, but his gaze never lingered. Now he had a few seconds to spare. Her face was delicate, almost pixie like and it was framed by glossy jet black hair. A few lank strands hung in her face, being forced out of the green headband that she had replaced after she had woken up. Her full bow lips were a deep pink and they were glistening slightly in the soft moonlight. Before he knew what he was doing, he reached his hand up to brush the locks of hair from her face and curled them behind her ear. She audibly swallowed before clearing her throat and turned away, breaking the contact and the moment.

"We had better find the stream before Tyro and Katara start to worry." She walked away from him, leaving him wondering what just happened.

He silently fell into step behind her.

**A/N: Again, sorry if this story is taking a bit to get into. I just LOVE setting the mood :P**


	12. Chapter 12

Katara watched Toph walk out of camp with Haru, a smile on her lips. Facing Tyro, he was smiling, also watching where the two young earth benders had just disappeared.

"He has been stealing glances at her for most of the time we have been together, even if he didn't realise it." Tyro said. She could hear the amusement in his voice.

Katara giggled. "I wouldn't be surprised. Toph has grown into a beautiful young woman."

Tyro nodded. "Indeed. Truth be told, I've been worried about him for some time now."

"Why?"

Sadness replaced mirth on the old man's face and all of a sudden he looked as though he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"The whole reason we had decided to set out to help the villages is because of our experience with what the fire nation had done to our family. Shortly after the war ended, my darling wife, Kita, fell gravely ill." Katara waited for him to continue, giving Tyro the time he needed to recall obviously painful memories.

"The doctors tried everything but we couldn't bring her fever down. They had sent out a call to get a water tribe healer, but she passed away during the night. Haru blames the stress the fire nation put on our family for her death. With me being imprisoned, Kita and Haru had to fight to keep the store and themselves alive. Then Haru was arrested. My darling Kita," tears fell, splashing onto folded weathered hands. "My darling Kita couldn't take the stress of it all. She died from a broken heart." He sobbed, hands covering his face.

"I'll get you some water," she said softly as she rose.

Remembering she had traded her water skein, Katara went in search of the stream Haru had mentioned.

The freshwater stream was bubbling quietly, insects buzzing lazily across the water's surface. Finding a flat rock along the water's edge, Toph rolled her pant leg bottoms up and dropped her feet into the water. The cool water was like a caress, soothing the ache that had settled in her ankle from her little stumble. Haru stood some ways away from her, bending a bowl shape from a large rock he had found. Toph bit her lip as she thought about the way their bodies had been flush against each other. She was shorter than him by a full foot and a half and he was all muscle. His broad shoulders tapered into narrow hips and there was not an ounce of fat on him anywhere. He was as solid as the element he could bend. He was powerful. Toph liked powerful. Soon she found herself about what he would feel like without his shirt on. Would he even let her touch him? She was petite, but her muscles were tone and strong. _I bet we would fit together perfectly,_ she thought wickedly_._ She was fairer in build than the other female earth benders she had come across, but she was more powerful because of it. They often underestimated the small blind girl, taking her boasting of her abilities as over-confidence. She loved proving them wrong.

When her thoughts started to turn private, she gave herself a mental slap. Not even twelve hours ago she had broken down in front of one of her oldest friends, and then came to the life changing decision of spending the rest of her life alone. Now she was having sexual thought about Haru? _Great, what's next? Apologizing?_

She had been against Haru long enough to know what his body was like. She shivered at the recollection of being in his arms. She was so lost in thought that she didn't hear Haru approach her where she sat on the rock.

She felt a pressure on her should blades and then found herself underwater. Haru had pushed her in as a practical joke. The stream was deeper than she thought it would be. Kicking out, she managed to break the surface, sucking in air but unfortunately a bit of water too.

"Haru!" she screamed. "I can't swi-" she sunk below the surface, arms and legs flailing to try and resurface.

Haru stood on the rock that Toph had just occupied, and laughed as Toph had broken the surface. His laughter died, however, only to be replaced by panic as he realised she was trying desperately to tread water. She couldn't swim. Cursing inwardly at his stupidity (Why would a blind girl need to learn to swim?) he spared no thought to his clothing as he dove into the cool water. Ducking below the surface he wrapped his arms around her waist and pushed himself towards the surface. When they broke through, she sucked in a breath, screaming in panic. She scrambled to grab onto him, her nails digging into his back and her legs like a vice around his hips. He made his way towards island of rocks in shallower waters. Where he had pushed her in was the deepest part of the stream. He reached a large, smooth stone and placed her onto it, hands resting on her hips, while he remained in the water. She was still clinging to him, shaking in fear.

"Toph? I am so sorry. I wasn't thinking. Are you okay?"

No answer.

"Toph? Please, look at me. I am so sorry."

No answer. Instead she leaned her head back until they were nose to nose, a few inches between their faces. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth parted as she panted. Even when soaking wet she was beautiful. He couldn't help but notice how her shirt clung to her like a second skin, revealing her luscious curves. Her breasts rose and fell with each breath. Before he could react, her lips were crushed against his. Taken by surprise, be hesitated before returning it, moving his hand from her hip to hold the back of her head, deepening the kiss. Her right hand moved from his shoulder to settle just above his heart, which was thundering inside his chest. He felt her grin against his lips. His tongue snaked out to stroke her full bottom lip. She moaned and opened her mouth to him, his tongue twining with hers. She tasted of passion and fire. When she tentatively sucked on his tongue, he groaned and felt his cock harden. The blind earth bender stoked his arousal to a fever pitch. Before he could lose himself in her, he broke away and rested his forehead on hers. They were both breathing heavily.

"Thank you. For saving me, I mean. Not so much the pushing me in part." She whispered.

Haru closed his eyes and groaned at his foolishness.

"Forgive me, Toph. I wasn't thinking. I promise I'll make it up to you."

She smiled, her white teeth gleaming. He felt his heart flutter at the sight.

"I'll hold that against you, you know. I'm like an elephant-bear. I never forget."

Haru chuckled, the hand over his heart stroking his skin lightly.

"I like feeling when you laugh," she whispered. "It reminds me of simpler times. Plus, it gives me an excuse to feel you up." She winked. Though she was blind, the effect was the same.

Haru let himself drift a little away from her. Last time he had seen her, she was a 12 year old girl and he was a 15 year old boy. Now she was a young woman and he was a young man. Where had the time gone? "Listen Toph. We shouldn't be doing this. I mean, we just met today."

"Technically we've known each other for almost a decade," she countered. "Besides, I'm an adult and I'm old enough to know what I want. I wanted to kiss you, so I did. Was I not-" She faltered and her face fell slightly. "Was I not good? I mean, I've kissed guys before but never open mouthed so I was kinda winging it for a while there."

He looked at her, slightly stunned. She was a beautiful young woman, and had shared her first proper kiss with him. The knowledge floored him. She must have taken his silence as a disapproving one. Her face hardened, all traces of pleasure seeping from her face.

"Whatever," she snapped. "Don't you worry about me and my ego, or anything. Sorry I was so bad you couldn't even answer a simple question." She moved to stand up, but Haru held her firm.

"No! Toph, I was just a bit…shocked is all. You were great." She looked at him dubiously, unsure of whether to believe him or not.

Grabbing her hand, he placed it against his erection. Her eyes went wide and she gripped him softly through the fabric. "If you were bad, you wouldn't have done _this_ to me."

Haru had never in his life been so bold and forward, but there was something about Toph that made him cut the bullshit. She was stubborn and head strong and always cut through to the heart of the issue. She was someone people could rely on to tell them how it is. He admired her for that quality, deciding the world needed more of it.

He moved his hand away from hers, expecting her to follow but she didn't. Instead she gripped him more firmly. When she stroked his length, he moaned her name.

Hearing Haru moan her name was so hot. If she was doubting her effect on him, the evidence of his arousal had extinguished any insecurity. Feeling bold, she stroked him again. His head slumped forward, resting on her shoulder. His hands were back on her hips, his fingers gripping her. When she stroked his again, he pulled her down into a kiss that would make even the most amorous person blush. The kiss was frantic and soon their hands were tearing at clothing and stroking wet skin, Haru clambering up onto the rock to be at level with her. In her mind's eye, Toph painted an image of Haru. Broad shoulders, tapered hips and hulking muscle. She couldn't feel any moustache on his face, just a slight shading of stubble along his jaw.

Soon they were both naked. Toph continued her ministrations, pumping her fist along his thick length and marvelled at the texture. Like hard velvet. Leaning her back, Haru continued assaulting her mouth with hot, wet kisses. They broke apart. Haru drunk in the sight of Toph naked before him, her midnight hair haloing her face as it fanned out against the rock. He breasts were perfect for her size and fit nicely in his hand. Her nipples were the sweetest light pink and they puckered to his touch. Toph's hands were roaming across his skin making him break out in goose bumps. It was her own way of looking at him. Leaning down, Haru kissed the hollow of her throat, smiling as she arched against him pushing her breasts into his chest. With one hand, he circled an erect nipple as he made his way down from her throat to the other breast. She moaned when he flicked it with his tongue, but cried out when he sucked the nub into his mouth. Through the haze of pleasure, rational thought reared its ugly head, throwing a bucket of cold water onto him.

He pulled back, removing himself from her. She whimpered at the loss and shivered as his body heat retreated.

"Toph, are you a virgin?" Toph frowned.

"I am. Is that a problem?" Haru sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, pulling at the strands slightly in frustration.

"I don't want to take your virginity Toph. I'm sorry. But I can't." That seemed to piss her off.

"So, what? You get me all hot and bothered, and then you chicken out? I knew where this could possibly end up and I didn't back down. Why is it such a big deal?"

He shook his head. "It's a personal thing, Toph. You should wait until you're ready."

"Oh, you think I'm not ready?" She waved her hand down the length of her body. "I'm lying _naked_ on a rock in front of you, and you're saying I'm not ready? I don't think you get to make the decision for me, Haru. I'm more than ready, believe me. You've done an amazing job of getting me prepared, Stud. Plus, wouldn't you rather me have my first time with someone I've known for almost half my life?"

Haru blushed a little. Was he really refusing making love to a gloriously naked and beautiful woman? His will power might have struggled, but he answered 'yes.'

"I'm sorry Toph. I can't. You deserve something more… more romantic. And planned."

"You make it sound as if it's some cataclysmic event. It's just sex!" she huffed.

"Not to me it isn't. I like you, Toph. But I can't take your virginity. Not tonight."

Toph pouted and crossed her arms in front of her, pushing her breasts up slightly. She was silent for long moments before sighing "Fine. Have it you way. One question though?"

"Yeah?"

"Since we got this party started, how bout we finished what we started? No sex, just getting each other off."

He was slightly taken aback by her blunt words, but had come to expect it of her. _Cutting through the bullshit_.

Haru's answer was a smile as he nudged Toph to lay on her back. Confused, she obliged.

Starting at her knee, he planted small kisses along her alabaster skin, stopping just before the juncture between her thighs. By the time he started on her other leg, she was quivering and wet and _achy_. But she was still confused.

"Haru?"

"Mmm?" he answered, continuing his assault to her senses. Her mind blanked momentarily.

"What are you doing?"

His lips left the skin of her thigh, his thumbs stroking circles on the outside of her legs. "What does it feel like I'm doing?"

Her brow furrowed. "I have no idea. But what you're doing feels great." She waved him on in a queenly manner. "Continue."

His breath tickled the downy hair between her thighs as he laughed. _What is he doing down there?_

"Toph, I'm going to kiss you now."

"Uh, okay. I thought that's what you were doing in the first pla-" Her breath hitched as his tongue stroked in between her nether lips, making her arch at the contact. Her hand flew to clutch his head as it rested between her thighs. He repeated the motion and she quivered around him.

"Oh. My. Spirits. That's so _good_." She breathed. "I thought you said you were going-"

"Toph?" he interrupted, licking his lips at the taste of her juices.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

**A/N: OOOOOH SNAP! Third chapter posted today! I'm on a roll! but now I'm gonna go to bed, coz its 1:15 in the morning and I'm tired as hell... ENJOY! REVIEW PUH-LEASE!**

**PS: Next chapter is going to be back into Kataang, so don't be disappointed. I just HAD to write this chapter to give Toph her, uh...'moment.' :P**


	13. Chapter 13

Katara rushed back to camp to tend to Tyro. She was sure she was bright red, her face was burning. She managed to find the stream and was about to yell out for Toph and Haru when she heard a moan. She had rounded a bend in the stream and saw Toph and Haru… together. They were both in their own little bubble of pleasure and she wouldn't deny them that, so she chose to stay quiet and gave them privacy. _Way to go, Toph and Haru!_ She smiled, happy for her two friends. But it was still a situation that had revealed a little too much of her friends for her comfort. So she went a little further downstream and bent some water out, morphing it into a sphere for transportation. Tyro looked at her questioningly as she returned. Attempting to put on a smile that she hoped covered her embarrassment, she broke off a small bubble of water and offered it to him. She knew that Tyro could see straight through her.

"Thirsty?" She asked, her voice a little shrill. Tyro raised his brow and searched her face. She gulped.

_I. Am. So. Busted._

Crouching and surveying the streets below from his perch, hidden by the night, Aang eyed a rowdy group of eight men. A few times he had to readjust the stolen clothes he wore as they sagged on his athletic build. The men staggered from left to right, drunk out of their minds and destroying shop fronts as they went. Omashu was overrun with filth, the city almost overflowing with it. They stumbled closer to the alley where he was observing them, passing almost directly below him. Movement further down the alley caught his eye. A door open and shut, creaking in protest, as a young woman in a simple grey dress and black apron dumped a bucket full of rubbish into the street. The drunkards had also seen her. She made her way to go back inside and Aang saw her spot the group, paling slightly. Her hands shook as she clumsily tried to make her way back inside to safety. With an unnatural burst of speed, a man split from the group towards the woman. She screamed and flailed as he put his hairy arms around her, lifting her from the ground. The other men whooped and cheered, the captor bouncing his prize over his shoulder, making her dress ride up to expose the tops of her thighs. She frantically tried to escape his grip while trying to regain some dignity. She was placed on her feet, the men circling around her like vultures. Her chest heaved with panicked intakes of breath. One of the men lunged for her but she swung her hand at his face, leaving deep claw marks from her fingernails. He yelled in pain, blood pouring into her eyes. Frantically, the girl tried to make an escape through a small gap the man had left. Her efforts were short lived as two men grabbed her by her dress, tearing the side seams a little. They each grappled her and held one arm, forcing her to her knees as the bloody man loomed above her. She begged for her freedom and his mercy, but she knew he wouldn't offer either. Aang could see the knowledge in her eyes.

Aang watched, and waited. If he attacked too soon, he would have gang members after him, protesting that the Avatar had harmed the men with no justification. If he attacked too late, the girl would be dead. The young woman screamed for help as her captor advanced, trying to wriggle free but the men at her arms held her fast. The bloody man raised his hand and back handed her. The crack of skin on skin echoed through the alley and made Aang's blood boil. Tears streaming down her cheeks, her mouth was open in a silent cry of pain, blood and saliva pouring from her mouth onto the pavement below. A little stained her dress. The next hit was the same but on the other cheek, the girl letting out a strangled, choked cry. The violence was making a few of the men excited, a few of them palming their erections. Wiping the bloody saliva off his hands, the man raised his hand again, this time clenched in a fist. She screamed. The blow connected with her face, the crunch of her nose breaking making Aang's stomach roll. It was a sick, wet sound.

Her head lolled backwards as unconsciousness took her, her arms still in her captors vice grip. They all laughed. Sidling forward, the man gripped her head, pulling her hair until almost tearing point. With the other he struggled to free himself from his pants.

Seeing his opportunity, Aang noiselessly dropped to the floor below, about twelve feet away from the eight men. All their eyes were on the young woman's disfigured face so they didn't notice when he approached them, glider retracted and held firmly in his hands. Aang showed no outward emotion. No disgust, no horror, no shock at what lay before him; eight men about to rape and abuse an unconscious and bloody woman in a dank back alley. On the inside he let his anger take over.

"I suggest you leave her alone. If you want to live, that is." He kept his voice low and menacing.

As one, the eight men turned to face him, releasing their hold on the girl so she slumped to ground. Their scowls would have made a weaker man fall. Despite the men being twice his width, Aang held his ground, his gaze flickering between the men, seeking out any weakness he could find.

"Fuck off, pip squeak, if you know what's good for ya," said one, spitting phlegm on the ground at Aangs feet. Aang didn't move.

A man at the back of the group piped up. "You deaf? He said fuck off, you little cunt!"

The man with the gauges in his forehead stepped towards Aang. Flames erupted in his hand as he waved it in front of Aangs face, his face pulled in a threatening scowl.

"You have no business here, runt. Unless you want to join your little girlfriend here," he waved his flaming hand in the direction of the passed out girl. The threat must have worked before, because his eyes portrayed a feeling of victory. But Aang didn't budge.

The man growled. With a brutal yell, the man jabbed his flaming fist, aiming for Aang's face. The Avatar sidestepped, making the fire bender go off balance. Shifting his hands down his retracted glider, Aang bought it crashing down on the man's head. His face made impact with the pavement before he rolled to his side. A bloody streak painted the alley floor.

Aang watched dispassionately. The remaining seven men were silent, watching their comrade fall. Aang closed his eyes and turned his face towards the others.

When he opened them, they were alight, bathing the alleyway in an eerie blue glow.

"What's wrong with his eyes?"

"It can't be…"

"The Avatar."

The smile that grew on Aangs face was spine-chilling. It promised swift and painful punishment.

Four of the men tried to flee only to find a wall of earth blocking them in, the other three shuffled into fighting stances with nervous expressions. The cowards changed direction to find that they were caged in with the Avatar in the Avatar state.

Out of fear for his life, one of the men sent a slice of fire towards Aang. Using his glider like a propeller, Aang dispersed the flames into the air.

Another male soiled himself. The voices of thousands of past lives echoed off the blocked alleyway walls, cutting through the night.

"For your crimes, the punishment is death. Omashu will be wiped clean. May the Spirits be more merciful on your souls than me."

The Avatar leered to the melody of wrangled screams, blood spraying up his arms. His tattoos and eyes radiated blue light, shooting a beam upwards to cut into the night sky.

The girl remained untouched.

Haru, Tyro and Toph had fallen asleep about an hour ago but it evaded Katara. She couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding, like something bad was going to happen. Staying quiet to not wake the sleeping earth benders, Katara had climbed atop of a small hill. She looked out into the night, seeing the shadowy silhouette of the Kolau Mountain Range as it stretched across the horizon. From the sky, Katara figured the range would look like a scar. In front of the massive peaks lay Omashu. In the faint moonlight, She could make out the apex of the city, where the palace lay. If what Tyro said about King Kian is true, that he has shut himself off from the rest of the world, then it couldn't mean anything good. Aang had told her of his trips to Omashu with Master Piandao after Bumi had died. Kian has changed rules and regulations quickly with promises of a better future for the city, but all he wanted was a better future for him. The violent upheavals along the western shores had started to escalate around the time Kian had taken place on the throne. Omashu's smiths were legendary for producing some of the best steel in the Earth Kingdom. The fact that Kian had shut himself off, the gang activity on the rise and the amount of money pouring into Omashu didn't bode well. It was just speculation at the moment, but Kian was definitely a suspect in regards to supporting fire nation loyalists. Zuko had done an amazing job as Fire Lord to rebuild the fire nation and had donated his time and resources into helping heal the rest of world touched by Ozai's rule. Unfortunately, there is only so many places he can enforce his rule at once. Even with Aang and the White Lotus' help, they had been stretched too thin. Their efforts were draining and the spirit of the peacekeepers was gradually being worn down. A solution, or the people responsible, had to be found quickly.

Closing her eyes, Katara savoured the feel of the mountain breeze brush through her hair, caressing her face. She hadn't felt the breeze against her skin since…

She blushed a little. Since she and Aang had been together.

"Can't sleep?" The voice behind her made her jump a little.

Haru approached her and sat down, stretching his long legs out in front of him.

"Sorry if I woke you." She gave him a small smile before returning her gaze towards Omashu. _I wonder if Sokka and Suki are there already. I wonder if Aang…_

She gave herself a little shake. She missed him, but she wasn't ready to face him just yet.

"You didn't. I had a pretty bad dream. I don't know, tonight just feels… strange. Something is in the wind, but I can't put my finger on it." Haru said, his eyebrows drawing inwards.

"I had the same feeling. It feels like a churning in my gut. I can't really explain it either."

Haru grunted in understanding before following her gaze towards Omashu. The silence stretched between them, only broken by crickets chirping and the rustle of grass in the wind. Curiosity got the better of Katara. She looked sideways at Haru through her lashes. Had they been kids again, she wouldn't have thought about Toph and Haru as a couple, but now… Maybe Toph needed someone like Haru to balance her out. She could be brash, obnoxious and insulting which Katara guessed was a way to keep people at a comfortable distance. Haru was silently strong and calculating. They could learn a lot from each other.

"Did you have fun with Toph?" Katara's voice gave nothing away. If anything, it showed a hint of curiosity and a dash of amusement. She tried to keep the laughter contained at Haru's reaction. He whipped his head to face her. Even in the dark, Katara could see a hint of pink high on his cheeks.

"Wh-What do you mean?"

Katara smiled. "I mean, did you two have fun? You both came back soaking wet."

Haru sighed with relief but quickly covered it with a small cough. "Oh, yeah. Toph uh… Toph fell in and she couldn't swim, so I helped her out." His cheeks heated further.

Katara giggled at her earth bender friend. "Well, for what it's worth, I think you two make a cute couple."

The blush drained from his face. He spluttered as he looked into Katara's amused face. Sighing, he mumbled "We're not really a couple. We just… helped each other out a bit."

She giggled again. "Well, couple or not, I think it's great. Toph needs someone else in her life, not just the GAang. She can't rely on herself forever. I think you might be the perfect person to shake her up a bit." She winked at him. Haru rubbed the back of his neck, shooting Katara a shy, embarrassed smile. Silence fell on them and once again they returned to gazing out towards Omashu. Katara narrowed her gaze at a fast moving black cloud. It was flying low, and away from the mountainous city. As it neared, Katara could make out the shrieks of bird calls. She shot to her feet, Haru following suit. The noise became deafening as the flock of what looked like thousands of black birds flew above them. When they had passed, Katara faced Haru, her face stricken. "Where do you think they were going?" she asked him.

He shrugged. "They were in distress. They were trying to get away from something."

The ground around them lit up, the silver blue glow illuminating the landscape as if the world was approaching dawn. Searching for the source, Katara gasped as a beam of blue-white light shot vertically into the sky. Its origin was in Omashu. Relief coupled with a heart wrenching fear as Katara gazed at the beam. It was calling to her. As quickly as it had come, it disappeared, plunging them back into darkness. A single tear tracked from her blue eyes as she whispered the name of the man she loved.

"Aang."

Katara took off sprinting, desperate to get to him. The beam of light appeared whenever Aang slipped into a powerful and mindless Avatar state, which in turn was a self defence mechanism. All fear was pushed aside only to be replaced with worry. She felt her chest constrict at the thought of Aang hurt.

_Please be alive, please be alive._ She pleaded silently. In that moment, she realised that despite their arguments and trials, she was desperately in love with him.

_Spirits, please let him be safe. I can't live without him._

She wept all the way to the front gates of Omashu.

**A/N: I have come to the realization that I can't write what people call a 'short story.' i love detail and plot too much! Sorry if this annoys anyone, but if it does, just...just stop. Stop complaining and stop reading. I'm planning for this story to have a few more chapters yet, and maybe even a spin off of Toph and Haru, or Sokka and Suki. If you want to see this in the future, chuck it in the review bubble thingy below :) Keep in mind that if i receive 'flames' i wont hesitate to delete your post and complain about you... ON THE INTERNET. coz i'm just that brave haha :P sarcasm. doesnt portray too well in writing...**


	14. Chapter 14

"I said _let me in!_" Katara shrieked at the guards, tears making her eyesight blurry.

The gates that separated Omashu from the world remained closed, despite her pleading and warnings of the Avatar being inside them.

The burly guard shook his head. "No-one is allowed in or out of Omashu, as per King Kian's orders." His grip tightened a little on his scythe, his weapon of choice. "If you know what's good for you, you'll turn around and go home, missy. Any attempts to get in will be seen as an attempt on the Kings life, punishable by…" he grinned evilly, "…death."

Nine more guards were posted at the gates, each brandishing a different weapon. Even in her haze of sheer panic, Katara took note in case she had to fight her way in.

_Keep focus, Katara. In a battle, you only have a split second to survey what's in front of you. Stay focused, stay alert and you'll stay alive._ Sokka's teaching drifted back to her. He had taken Master Piandao's teaching to heart and in return had decided to teach Katara in case she ever found herself out of water. He wouldn't have his baby sister at a fault because she couldn't use her natural element. And here she was; a water bender with no water. _I should start carrying more than one water skein,_ she thought.

Her eyes darted across the guards, eying visible weaknesses in their stances and armour.

_Scythe man: weight bearing on left leg, earlier right leg injury that hasn't healed properly._

_Battle axes: armour is weak around his neck._

_Archer: No close range weapons in sight, prefers to fight from a distance._

She continued her observations, entering the date into her memory bank in a split second. She calculated her plan of attack in the mere seconds of the pause in conversation. She wiped her cheeks, the flow of tears stopping. "I'm not going anywhere. If you still want a city to protect, you _will_ let me in. The Avatar is inside."

The men snickered amongst themselves, sharing amused glances.

Scythe man spoke. "I think we would have known if the Avatar waltzed through these gates. Now, I'm not going to tell you again. Turn around. Next time will result in your… _physical_ removal." His gaze flickered over her body and he smiled grotesquely, eyes hungry as his tongue darted out to lick his lips. Katara swallowed back a bit of bile that threatened to escape. She shook her head.

"You don't understand. I _need_ to get inside."

His smile disappeared, his face pulling into a sneer. "It's a shame. I wouldn't have minded seeing what the back of you looks like…Men! This woman has made an attempt on your King's life! Seize her!"

As one, the men advanced on her, surrounding her. Katara got into a low stance, hands held in front of her. At once, she breathed deeply, calming her heart and her mind. She must be alert, or else she will die and she'll never see Aang again. Time seemed to slow. An arrow was cocked and aimed for her heart. The twang of a bow string released, an arrow released with blurring speed, but Katara was faster. She sidestepped, the arrow plunging into the chest of one of the guards behind her with a sickening thump. The archer swung his bow, the handle narrowly missing connecting with her face. She changed direction and kneed a man with a dagger in his gut before elbowing the face of a guard with throwing hammers. The man with the battle axes thrust his weapons towards her, intent to take off her head. Katara ducked and swung out her foot, making it connect to his shin and he dropped to the ground. Katara straddled the man's torso, jabbing her fist into his face, his head crunching onto the ground and he was knocked out. Katara raised her gaze and came face to face with the curved blade of the scythe. Its owner smiled in victory as he raised his weapon. Katara closed her eyes. At least she would die trying to get to the man she loved. She took her final breath.

"_Katara!_"

Her eyes flew open as she spotted Tyro, Haru and Toph sprinting towards her. Before the blade could make any contact, Toph punched the ground. Earth rumbled and broke apart, heading straight for scythe man. A sharp column of rock burst from the ground, missing Katara's nose by a few inches. The tip of the rock column speared the man's arm, almost taking off his wrist. He screamed in pain. Seeing her opportunity, Katara leapt up, swinging her leg to connect firmly with the man's groin. Breath escaped him as he sunk to his knees, the almost disconnected wrist forgotten. He slumped forward, passing out from the pain.

Haru and Tyro made quick work of the remaining five guards, Toph sprinting for her.

"Katara!" Toph shouted, coming to a skidding halt in front of her. As she fought to catch her breath, she scowled at the water bender. "Are. You. _Crazy?_ You see Aang's light and you take off, without even thinking it through? _What the fuck is wrong with you?!_" Toph screamed. The worry was printed across Toph's face.

"Aang is inside. I have to get to him Toph" Katara's voice was steady considering she had almost died only moment before. Toph stood upright, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.

"Look, Sugar Queen. What happened between you and Aang is your business, but last time I checked, you were so distraught at the idea of even _seeing_ him again, you almost had a fucking panic attack! Besides, Aang can take care of himself. He more than proved that a few days ago in the woods." Katara made a noise of frustration.

"You have no idea what happened between us, Toph. And you don't understand what's happening now. You weren't there when he admitted to me what he had done! He was so lost, and alone. I have to be there for him! He needs me… now more than ever. So if you're done being angry with me, I'm going inside to find him. With, or without your help."

"Gah! Are you even listening to yourself? The streets are over run with gang activity, abduction and murder and last time I checked you were _female_. What the hell do you think is going to happen to you once you're inside? Omashu is a big city, honey. Were you just going to go door knocking until you found Aang?" Toph pitched her voice higher to imitate Katara, fluttering her lashes and making a knocking motion with her hand. "'Oh, hi, My name is Katara. Have you seen the Avatar? You see, we're in wuv and it would mean oh so much to me if you could help me out!' They'd abduct you because you're female, but they'd go out of their way to kill you if they found out Aang cares about you."

Katara paled. Toph was right. She's been out of her mind with worry to get to Aang that she'd disregarded the danger. She sighed in resignation.

"What do you suggest, Toph? They're going to see these guards knocked out and when they come to, they'll be able to identify us."

Toph smiled. "Go back to plan A, Sugar Queen. How did you get into Omashu in the first place?" Katara frowned. In her panicky rush to get to Omashu, she had forgotten that she told Tyro and Haru about how she, Aang and Sokka had snuck into Omashu when the fire nation had taken over. Toph was there, but remembering the look on her face, Katara guessed she had something else on her mind, maybe in the form of a hunky earth bender?

"We went through the sewers." Katara pointed out.

Toph made a gagging sound. "Okay. I'm usually the first one to be willing to get filthy, but the _sewers?_ That's a whole different kind of 'filthy.' As in, it's fucking disgusting. Is there any other way?" Katara shook her head.

Toph rolled her useless eyes. "I'm assuming you shook your head, but don't take the _blind_ girls word for it." She could almost hear Katara blush.

"It's the only way that I know of, unless you three are willing to open the gates and we'll take our chances that way?" Katara faced the three earth benders. She hoped her eyes pleaded to them, saying how much she needed to find Aang.

"I haven't been able to feel any vibrations if there was a group waiting for us. But then again, someone is surely bound to notice the front gates wide open." Toph frowned, trying to think of another strategy.

"They won't notice if they're not open all the way. We only need a gap large enough to squeeze through, then once we're inside we'll close them again. From a distance, they won't have looked open at all." Haru sounded calm and calculative. Toph shot him a smile and a small wink, making him laugh a little nervously. He then coughed to try and cover it up. Tyro and Katara watched the exchange with amused expressions.

"I'll take the first gate. Toph? You take the second and Haru? The third. Katara, you stick in the middle. There's a slight gap between each gate that we can hide in as we work our way through. Everyone got it?" Tyro barked. The three young adults nodded. "And be prepared in case we are discovered. They'll try to close the gates with us in between, so we have to be quick. If you will please step aside, Toph. I'll get us underway."

Toph raised her brow at the elderly man but said nothing. It wasn't an expression of indignation. She looked more impressed than anything. Tyro approached the gate, resting his hands on the immense rock wall. Smoothing them across the surface, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply. His fingers went into the seam where the two sides of the gate met and he pulled them out, his muscles bulging at the effort. Nothing happened. Katara started to bite her thumb nail anxiously as she looked on for tense moments. She was about to ask Toph and Haru to help him out when a deep, rumbling sound met her ears. The gates were opening. Slowly, inch by agonizing inch, they were opening. Tyro pulled them apart until he could slip in between them. His grip shifted so he could push them out. Glancing back, his face pulled in concentration, he jerked his head in the direction of the next gate. Haru grabbed Toph's hand and headed towards his father, Katara trailing behind them with a smile on her face. Toph ducked under Tyros arm and went to the second gate. Following Tyros same actions, it started to give way under her grip and parted for her. Once they were all in the space between the gates behind Toph, Tyro released his grip, making the earth gate slam back into place. Haru ducked under Toph's arm, having to crouch because he was so tall and came to stand before the third gate. Spitting into his hands, he gripped the seam similar to Toph and Tyro. He strained and grunted at the effort to try and make the earth budge.

"Come. On. Stupid gate. _Move!_" he bit out. Toph released the second gate once they were all behind Haru.

"Breathe Haru," Toph soothed. "You can do this."

He took a deep breath and returned to trying to open the gate. They waited with bated breath and soon the earth was moving. He couldn't open it up as far as Toph or Tyro, but they all managed to squeeze through. Haru released the gate. They had made it inside. They were behind the walls of Omashu.

And somewhere inside the city before her, the man Katara loved needed her more than ever.

_Aang… where are you?_

"Sir, we've had reports of four civilians sneaking through the front gates. Reports state that they may be the Avatar's companions. Would you like us to capture them and bring them into custody?"

Kian stared out at his city. Inhaling the night air, he smelt smithy smoke, blood, sweat and _fear_. If he could bottle it, he would wear it as cologne. He faced his most trusted general.

"No. Let them in. Let them find the Avatar. He is within these walls somewhere. The air nomad and his…_friends_ have ruined my plans for long enough. I guarantee they will find their friend. Send out spies to follow them. They will lead us to the Avatar."

The king that Kian had assumed the throne from, Bumi, was his cousin but only by marriage. They had no blood ties so therefore Kian felt no obligation to honour the crazy Kings memory by keeping Omashu under fair rule. No, Kian was too selfish. He liked the finer things in life. Before he became King of Omashu, he had lived a peaceful life in a fire nation colony within the earth kingdom.

Then the Fire Lord was defeated and he had lost everything. Kian was an earth bender, but his mother was of fire nation decent. He was happy… until the Harmony Restoration Movement a year later. People say he has his mother's eyes. Kian dismissed the sentimentality, instead focusing on his plans to destroy the earth kingdom. Before Fire Lord Zuko, Earth Kind Kuei and the Avatar had decided to withdraw their plans to remove the colonies, they had already shipped off a majority of them.

The largest, Yu Dao, was in the planning stages of being transformed into a city. A place for benders and non-benders to be equals, they said. Kian snorted. The world was fine the way it was. If the Avatar wanted to play pretend with the Earth King and Fire Lord, then let the child have his play time. Kian was a realist. The only way to rise up in this world was through the rotten underbelly of society. Kian may be a king, but he always thought of himself as a type of 'people person.' Using his wealth, he convinced the scores of fire nation loyalists to follow him. Plus, promises of wealth, land and wenches didn't hurt either. Soon enough they had fallen into line. But it was chaotic, the situation becoming dire when the Avatar and White Lotus decided to get involved to try and 'maintain peace.' Kian had thought himself clever, being a figure head for an earth kingdom city while controlling the scum that flooded its streets. He thought he was in control until the number of followers expanded beyond his abilities to regulate. He had wracked his brains to think of a solution, when one conveniently fell into his lap; his trusted general. A disgraced man who was hell bent on revenge against the Avatar. His general bowed, retreating three paces before turning to leave.

"General?"

The hulking man paused at the door before turning to face Kian.

"Yes, you're Majesty?"

"Send word to Ling, head of the Huo Gang. Tell him the Avatar is in Omashu so the plans will have to be executed sooner than we thought. You are dismissed, General Fong."

Fong bowed low, smiling evilly at the ground. After all these years, his humiliation at the hands of the then 12 year old Avatar will be history and he will regain his honour.

_I will finally have my revenge._

**A/N: OH DAYUM! didn't see that coming did you ;) if you dont know who general fong is, just google it :) REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! the comment bubble thingy is just a sentance and click away! :)**


	15. chapter 15

"So we're inside. What now?"

Katara rolled her eyes. "We find Aang, Toph."

Toph scowled before swinging her fist into Katara's shoulder. "No, really? I guessed that, Sugar Queen. I meant where do we start?"

Tyro put himself between the earth and water bender, his spine straight to assert his authority over the tense situation. "Fighting at the front gates will not find the Avatar. I suggest we pair off and search the city. Toph? You go with Haru and head towards the western wall. Katara? You're with me. We'll take the eastern wall. We'll meet back at the front gates." He studied the night sky, judging time by the stars position. "I'm guessing we have about three hours before dawn. When the sky starts to brighten, we'll regroup. Got it? Good." Without waiting for a reaction, Tyro headed towards the eastern wall, the three young benders staring after him, mouths agape. Katara faced Haru as Toph said "You're dad is so… so…" Haru faced her, his gaze narrowing.

"'So' what?"

"_Awesome!_ Come on, lover boy. We have a lost air nomad to find!" Haru smiled down at her and chuckled as she dragged him away through the streets, the buildings eventually blocking them from Katara's sight. She ran to catch up to Tyro and fell into step beside him.

They walked down a damp street, passing boarded shop fronts, piles of garbage and homeless huddled around a fire benders' outstretched hand, the flame casting their faces in shadow. The city once had a vibrant night life filled with music, dancing and people just enjoying themselves and enjoying being alive. It was all so different now.

"Keep your gaze ahead, Katara." Tyro muttered low enough for only Katara to hear. She snapped her head forward, not registering anything in front of her. "These people don't want any outsiders interfering with their business. If they catch you looking, they will see you as either a threat or an easy target."

She nodded in answer and they continued on in silence.

Her mind raced with the possibilities and predicaments she might come face to face with when she found Aang. What if he had been hurt? What if he didn't want to see her? What is she going to say when she sees him again? Should she apologise? Her mind went in circles. As a result she didn't pay attention to where she was going, and certainly didn't realise that Tyro had taken a different branch of a crossroads they had come to. A loud bang snapped her out of her day dream and into a real life nightmare. She was surrounded by old, decrepit buildings with no wooden boards for windows.

The street was cast in shadow by fire barrels that dotted the sidewalks. It seemed deserted but Katara got the sense that she was being watched. She rubbed her arms as a chill ran down her spine as she scanned the buildings around her. After a few moments, the feeling vanished. Thinking that calling out to Tyro was a bad idea she turned around and made her way back to the crossroads where she had last seen him. She didn't want to draw unnecessary attention to herself. She passed a few alleyways, the shadows drowning out any horrible sights that may lie within them, when she got the feeling of eyes on her again. She couldn't help the slight sense of panic that rose in her chest, restricting her breathing. Her steps faltered a little. She froze, her breath coming out in pants. Her gaze darted to survey her surroundings when she heard scuffling behind her. She didn't think. She just ran. In her fear she was beginning to see things that couldn't be there; a person disappearing through a wall in an alley way, shadows moving behind a torn curtain, glowing eyes from the roof. Katara's feet pounded the pavement until she skidded to a halt. _Glowing eyes. Blue glowing eyes._ Katara gasped. She hadn't imagined that, surely?

Katara spun in a circle, gazing at the rooftops for any hint of Aang. Despite better judgment, she yelled out his name repeatedly, hands cupped around her mouth to enhance her voice.

"AANG! _AANG!_" She knew she was drawing attention to herself, but she knew Aang wouldn't let her get hurt, despite what had occurred between them. Tears began to form in her eyes as moments passed, still with no sign of Aang. Dropping her hands she noticed the residents of Omashu emerging from their hovels to see what the commotion was about, a particular group making her blood run cold.

Surely, she didn't imagine it?

"Aang…" she whispered in defeat.

He hadn't come when she was screaming his name, and as she watched the lowlifes advance on the stranger that had disturbed their peaceful sanctuary, she realised that he wasn't coming for her now. She had put her life in danger on what could have been a hallucination brought on by her fear. She was so overwhelmed with fear and defeat and anger at herself, the next few moments were a hazy blur.

The street scum surrounded her and she was hopelessly outnumbered. A few of the women approached her, stroking her face and hair and clothes in admiration. The men were leering at her as well, but they were more interested in what lay beneath the clothing. Katara didn't respond with any emotion. She felt completely numb. She had most likely lost the man she loved forever. Her world went dark.

When her brain decided to function again, she realised that she was alone, standing in the street. All around her, people were laying in their own blood. She looked at her feet. A crimson puddle that seemed to bubble in the fire light, slowly crept towards her. It met her boots and her world went blank again.

She was bouncing up and down. When she opened her eyes, the world was askew, upside down. She tried to speak, to ask where she was but her mouth was clamped shut. _What the…?_ As she became more aware, she realised she was bound and gagged and someone had slung her over their shoulder. Judging by the shoulder width, she guessed it was a man. Panic took her and she started to struggle, but it was no use. Whoever this man was, he held her in their grip firm, but soon they quickened their pace. She heard him curse and she was readjusted for his comfort. Whoever this man was, something had spooked him. He was constantly looking over his shoulder, giving Katara glimpses of his profile. He looked strangely familiar. He ducked under something, but Katara was raised a little in the process. The back of her head connected with something solid and she slipped into unconsciousness again.

_She was dreaming. Aang had come back to her. He had come back! His silhouette in the sky against the bright light of day became clearer, and he was coming closer, gliding on the tails of the wind. He was coming for her! She felt her heart burst with joy when he got close enough for her to see his beaming face. But then something changed. _He_ changed. His eyes and tattoos began to glow, and his speed increased and he was heading directly for her. He scowled at her, and she was scared. She tried to run, but the earth rolled and rumbled… and she fell. She turned and frantically searched the sky for Aang but she couldn't see him._

_"Katara," he whispered. She could hear his menacing voice being carried on the wind but she couldn't see him. She stood, trying to balance as the earth still shook._

_She started to hyperventilate. "Where are you, Aang? What do you want?"_

_"You, Katara." She whipped her head around and he was right there in front of her, eyes and tattoos glowing. He looked terrifying, and she felt terrified. The wind began to blow a gale, her hair whipping her face as she tried to keep him in her sight._

"Wake up…"

_"What do you mean, Aang?" She asked him._

_"I want you. All of you!" His mouth never moved, but she heard his voice._

_Then he was roaring, beams of searing white light scorching her skin until she burned on the inside, too._

"Wake up…"

_She tried to scream for Aang, the real Aang. He would never hurt her. She didn't know who the man in front of her was._

_"AANG!"_

"Wake up…"

_"AANG!"_

"Wake up!" A flat palm connected with her cheek, snapping her out of her nightmare.

"AANG!" She screamed. Her captor slapped his hand over her mouth, trying to silence her but quickly withdrew it when she tried to bite him. That earned her another slap across the face. She grunted, enduring the pain. Through her eyelashes, she surveyed her surroundings. She was in a very dry and dark room, tied to a chair in the middle. A single lantern was lit above her, casting the rest of the room in darkness. She couldn't see her captors face.

She turned to face her captor as he walked into the lamp light. She had seen him before, but couldn't place his visage.

"What do you want with me? Who are you?" She spat.

Another slap, but this one was a backhand. Her temple throbbed with pain, when she saw he wore a think band of silver on his finger. He had a similar band on his other hand. His hands were huge, and worse; he knew how to inflict damage. Katara looked into the man's face, searching for his eyes. When she found them, she stifled a gasp before turning away. There was nothing but pure hatred in them. The man grabbed Katara's chin and forced her to look at him. "Where is that Avatar hiding?" He gritted out. Katara narrowed her eyes at him. "Where is the Avatar? I promise to set you free. You just have to tell me where he is."

He held her gaze for long moments… until she spat in his face.

Wiping her saliva off of his face, he stood slowly, menacingly. He slapped her so hard she thought her teeth rattled. Before she could recover from the blow, he hit the other side of her face. He repeated this process, swapping between her cheeks until blood poured from her mouth and nose. Tears marred her vision as they slid down her face, mixing with her blood and saliva before dripping to the floor. She heard, rather than saw the man move to stand behind her. His breath fanned across her neck, making her dry heave.

"You obviously don't recognise me, which is perfect. I don't think I would be able to stand your pleas for mercy or freedom. The time for forgiveness is in the past. You _will_ tell me where the Avatar is."

She couldn't see where he was, but she answered him anyways, spitting blood onto the floor before speaking. "I don't know where he is, but what I do know is that he is going to come for me. And he is going to kill you."

She jumped a little when he spoke right into her ear, her gut churning with hatred and fear for this unknown man.

"That, my dear Katara, is what I'm counting on."

A crack, pain... and then nothing.

He had managed to injure the decrepit lowlifes severely, but not enough to kill them. He had cut deep gashes into the would-be attacker and rapists, blood spraying from the wounds and painting his skin red. In the Avatar state, he imagined he looked like a glowing spirit of death. The blood splatter started to dry as he dragged the unconscious female further down the alley and unlocked the door she had originally come through and placed her inside before returning to the men he had incapacitated. One of the men was trying to crawl to safety, despite still being blocked in the alleyway. Aang strolled over and crouched by the man, lifting his head by his hair to look the man in the eyes.

"Where do you think you are going?" he asked, his voice icy.

The man had fear in his eyes. He had the gall to beg for his life. "P-p-please. P-please let m-me go." He started to cry. Aang released the man's head and stood, wiping his hand on his pants in disgust. He pointed a finger at the man, his eyes and tattoos glowing in his anger.

"You have the nerve to beg for your life, to beg me for mercy when you yourself have shown none. There is no mercy for pure evil. You must pay the ultimate price."

A dagger made of flame erupted in his hands and he saw the man whimper, his lips trembling. Aang raised his dagger and prepared for the killing blow.

All of a sudden he felt something peculiar; slight vibrations that ran through the earth and travelled up his body. His dagger disappeared, the man and his companions forgotten. He retrieved his glider and took to the sky, heading for the gates of Omashu. As he neared, he dropped onto a rooftop and watched in amazement as the gates started to open. From between the narrow opening, four companions slipped through, seemingly unnoticed. Aang narrowed his gaze on the group. His eyes widened. Here, in the poisoned city of Omashu, was Toph, Haru and Tyro. The other woman in the group made his mouth dry with worry. Katara. Why had she come here? He watched as the group split up, Haru and Toph together heading west and Katara and Tyro heading east, in his direction. He watched them pass below and followed them, as silent as a shadow and keeping to the rooftops.

Aang watched Katara as she got separated from Tyro and headed into a shady area of Omashu. He watched her as she sensed his eyes on her. She scanned the rooftops, once even looking straight at him. He heard her scream out his name and it took all of his willpower to not go to her. Instead, he watched over her, like a dark angel. She ran from him in fear. He had promised to never make her fear him, but he had broken that promise. For now, he would content himself with watching over her and protecting her. He watched as people surrounded her, but he couldn't see any threat. They were more in awe of her, just as he was and still is.

Aang was so focused on Katara that he didn't hear the earth bender on the roof with him. He felt something hard and blunt strike his head before his vision went black.

Fazing in and out, Aang blinked away the stars from behind his eyes and crawled to the gutter of the roof. Peering out, he saw a massacre. His heart beat sped up. _Where is Katara?_ Leaping down and cushioning the fall with a puff of air, Aang knelt low to the ground and waited, listening to the earth. Sensations vibrated up his body and he knew where to go. Deciding to keep to the rooftops, Aang leapt thirty feet into the air and landed nimbly on a roof awning. He took off sprinting, heading towards the centre of the city. Katara hadn't killed all those people. The bodies looked like they had been crushed by stone and whoever had killed those people had his Katara. Aang leapt the distance between buildings like an afterthought, and soon he could hear the pounding of feet on pavement and laboured breaths. He spied a hulking man with Katara over his shoulder. Just like that, the memories of the day he killed those five fire benders came back in a rush. He felt his blood boil as he watched the man speed up, as if he knew the Avatar was hunting him. Rounding a corner, the man ducked through an opening in the side of an abandoned building, Katara being knocked unconscious in an instant as her head cracked against a wooden beam. Aang jumped down and followed the man through the hole in the wall, only to skid to a halt.

_The man had come through that hole mere seconds ago. How could he disappear?_

He scanned the large concreted room, seeing no visible exits on the ground floor besides the opening he had just come through. The building was three stories, but the floors had either disintegrated or been knocked down. Aang felt his chest ache, and he knew he was feeling that painful sense of loss.

Aang had lost his Katara, just as he had found her again.

**A/N: DONT KILL ME! I guess this is just a 'filler' chapter. Will Aang manage to get to Katara before its too late? Hmm... we'll have to wait and see :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: okay, before you read, please go back to chapter 15 coz its no longer an 'authors note,' its an actual chapter. Also, i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry its taken me AGES to post a new chapter. I have had a freaking ****terrible**** case of writers block :/ thanks for all of you have have shown eager interest in this story! You guys are the reason why i love writing :)**

**PS: I'm not giving up on this story and please, NO FLAMES in regards to the pace of the story. as i said, i've had writers block :/**

**Cheers! - beemera**

Toph and Haru walked the streets of Omashu in comfortable silence and for once, Haru was secretly glad Toph was blind. As he took in the scenery before him, he was disgusted that Kian could call himself a King. There were whole families living on the streets; mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Their hopeful faces turned in their direction as if seeking answers from him. Some shop fronts were still occupied, but they largely consisted of boarded up windows, no doubt from multiple break ins made by desperate people in desperate circumstances. Haru pulled Toph a little closer to him, his arm around her shoulder protectively. Because of her height, she tucked under his arm snugly, like two puzzle pieces. He glanced down at her but quickly placed his gaze forward, almost groaning. Because of their height different and the cut of her tunic, he caught a delicious glimpse of her breasts. At once, his mind was filled with images of Toph in all sorts of positions, and in all of them, she was naked and moaning underneath him. He felt himself stir in his pants, and had to stifle another groan. His grip on her shoulder tightened infinitesimally, but she noticed. Suddenly, Toph was dragging him into a dark alley. He was dragged further into the shadows, and when she felt it was safe, she turned and leapt into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissed him feverishly. Their mouths still locked together, Haru backed her into the stone wall of the nearest building, the pressure in his groin increasing as she ground her hips against his length. She nipped his bottom lip and his eyes almost rolled into the back of his head. Her petite hands tugged at his shirt before diving underneath to claw at his back. Haru palmed her arse, squeezing a little. She moaned into his mouth before she broke the kiss, instead trailing her lips over his cheek and down to his throat. Then she stopped, Haru still slightly grinding against her moist heat. She drew back, her brows furrowed.

"Did you feel that?" she asked.

Still in a haze of pleasure and lust, Haru answered "Oh yeah, I felt it alright."

She wiggled against him until he placed her on the ground, more than a little confused and disappointed. She knelt and touched the ground with her fingertips.

"No, I mean I felt the earth move. Like, literally move. It wasn't natural either. Someone has gone underground." She stood and faced the entrance to the alley way.

"So?" Haru said with a little indignation. He considered it sexual frustration.

Toph glanced back at him. "You don't go underground unless you have something to hide."

With that she took off sprinting, leaving Haru momentarily shocked before he made his legs work for him, following the small black haired beauty that could make his blood boil.

Toph ran, Haru following a few feet behind her. She darted through the city streets with purpose, knowing exactly where to go. The residents of Omashu glanced up from whatever they were doing with curious eyes, but Haru and Toph ignored them.

They ran for a few minutes before Toph began to slow. She had led them to a less than glamorous part of the city, the part that was heavily under gang control. The streets were cast into shadow, the building that lined the streets were chillingly empty.

"Haru! Toph!" Haru snapped his gaze towards his father, of all people. Tyro jogged from a side street to catch up with them, slightly out of breath.

"Where's Katara?" Toph asked, a hint of worry lacing her voice.

Tyro shook his head and glanced at Haru. "We got separated. We were just walking the streets, I turned around and she was gone. I've been searching for over an hour and still haven't found any sign of her." Tyro sounded crushed. "I fear the worst for her."

Haru understood how his father felt. An attractive woman like Katara would be an easy target in a city like Omashu, but most would be hesitant to try anything with a burly man beside her. Now that she was alone in the city, she was a prime target for people whose intentions were in no way noble. Haru shot his father a reassuring smile, clapping him on the shoulder in a bid to comfort the old man.

"We'll find her, father. Don't doubt that." Tyro merely glanced at his son, his smile faltering before dying completely.

Toph gasped before exclaiming "It's Aang! I'd know those twinkly footsteps anywhere!"

Tyro and Haru looked at the young female with confusion. She wore a broad grin on her pixie face, her blind eyes twinkling slightly.

"If you don't mind, gentleman, the Avatar awaits. So you can either stand here looking at me with your mouths open to catch spider-flies, or you can follow me and make yourself useful." She turned on her heel and ran towards the centre of the city, leaving the two bewildered male earth benders in a small cloud of dust. Tyro turned to his son, a genuinely happy smile lit his weathered features. "That's some girl you have there, son." He followed Toph, picking up his pace to keep her in his sights. Haru sighed contentedly before following his father and his lover.

_And don't I know it_, he thought.

Toph darted through the maze of alleyways and garbage littered streets before rounding a dark corner. Being blind, the darkness did not bother her. She was more intent on the crumbling building that lay at the end of the alley. Tyro and Haru rounded the corner behind her, stopping abruptly at the sight that lay before them. The brick and mortar building was sloping slightly to the right side, the thatched roof in remnants that were scattered on the ground below. Gaping holes on the second and third floor were testament to the glass windows that had once been there, long since broken and torn away. In the dim light that filtered through the alleyway mouth, the building looked hauntingly calm against the night of Omashu. Toph took a tentative step towards the abandoned building, glancing back to Tyro and Haru with a slender finger against her lips to signal them to remain quiet before she resumed her quiet footsteps. The father and son shared a bewildered look before following Toph's lead, keeping low and quiet.

As they neared the looming, crumbling building, Haru noticed a small yawning hole at the base of it; a splintering wooden beam lay horizontally across the top of it. A support beam, he thought. And Toph was heading straight for it.

Toph ducked beneath the beam and disappeared inside the dark abyss of the building. Haru suddenly felt panicked. In an instant he broke into a run to cover the remaining distance between him and the small entry way, ducking inside into near darkness. It took his eyes a moment to adjust, and when they did, the scene before him made his blood freeze in his veins.

Toph was standing calm and firm in front of Aang. He was in the Avatar state, the dim glow of his eyes and tattoos lighting the ground beneath him, framing Toph in an ethereal light. He was hovering about a foot off the ground, tears tracking down his cheeks and his eyes, although glowing blue, were alight with sadness and loss. Toph was whispering to him, but Haru was not close enough to hear. The raw power flowing off Aang seemed to hum in the still air. Tyro appeared behind his son, a small gasp of shock escaping his lips.

Haru watched in silent horror as Toph took a step forward and reached out her pale hand towards him. Despite Aang not being on the ground, Toph seemed to know exactly where he was. Aangs face twisted into a scowl as he stared at his earth bending teacher. She dropped her hand, instead taking another step towards him. Haru was on the verge of running to her, to put himself between her and danger, but Tyro grasped his arm in a firm grip, fingers biting into muscle. Haru turned to shake off his father, but the old man simply shook his head. Haru returned to watching the scene before him, readying himself to fight the Avatar if need be.

"Aang," soothed Toph. Although she couldn't see him, she knew he was there in front of her. The power dripping off his floating form made the ground beneath him vibrate enough so she could see.

"It's okay, Aang. Whatever it is, we can help you. We're your friends, remember? Team Avatar forever." She took a tentative step towards him, hand reaching out to find her friend. An answering growl made her drop her hand immediately, but she still took a step towards a very irate Avatar.

Behind her, she could feel Haru's heartbeat racing in panic. She normally wasn't so _girly_, but she couldn't help but smile inwardly at the thought of Haru's protectiveness. Some part of her thought it was sweet. The other part wanted to slap that stupid grin off her sub-consciousness' face. She returned her focus to Aang, still in the Avatar state, anger seething and bubbling so close to the surface. She had to tread carefully and mind what she said; else she risked him snapping again. She sensed he had only a thread of control on his slightly rational thinking. Realisation hit her like an earth train. If he was in the city, in this part of the slums, he must have found Katara. Tyro did say that they had gotten separated. What other reason did Aang have to be so close to breaking point, about to level the city?

She kept her voice low and unthreatening. "Did you find Katara, Aang?"

Power pulsed from his hovering form, a slight breeze emanating from the Avatar. It was raw and powerful and emotional. She had guessed correctly. If he was in this much pain and rage, he must have found her but something had happened. Toph suspected the shifting of earth she felt earlier might have something to do with her disappearance. She hardened her voice and spoke to her earth bending student, ignoring the danger and possibility of him snapping and killing her in blind fury.

"Aang, if you want to find her you have to calm down and talk to us. In this state you're no good to Katara." She could feel his rage building at her words, as if she couldn't possibly understand what he was feeling. Maybe he was right in a way. She had never killed anyone, whether by accident or on purpose. She couldn't possibly know how much self-loathing and pain he was in. Katara was the only person who was like a balm on his damaged soul. She was cool, calming and soothing like the water she could naturally bend. She had long kept the darkness inside of him from rising and taking over. She had kept him sane throughout the loss of his people and guided him through a time he didn't understand. The Avatar needed Katara more than she knew. And now he couldn't reach her.

"Snap out of it, Aang!" Toph bit out. She lowered her stance slightly to make her footing more solid. Luckily she did, as a sudden gust of wind pulsated from him, stirring the usually calm layer of dust on the floor of the building. She could hear Tyro and Haru coughing and spluttering, unprepared for a face full of dirt and grime that had caked the floor for who knew how many years.

"You're not going to hurt me, Aang. You're not going to hurt Tyro or Haru, either. We're no use to you if we're dead and if you don't calm down, Katara will be. Snap out of it!"

Gradually, Toph felt the air calm, the hum of power pouring off his form subduing and his feet eventually touched the floor. The Avatar's eyes and tattoos were still slightly aglow as he blinked, his vision clearing and focusing on the petite form of Toph. His brow furrowed and he opened his mouth to ask her what she was doing in Omashu. He didn't even get a word in as the earth bender clenched her small fist and punched him in the jaw. He stumbled backwards and dropped to the floor, his face a mask of shock and anger as he massaged his now bruised jaw, tattoos flickering blue for a moment.

Toph approached him, her own anger seething as she shot daggers at him with her milky green eyes. She jabbed a finger towards him, a scowl on her face.

"_That_ was for being a total dick. Just because you're the Avatar doesn't mean that you're not my friend too. And I think I have the right to tell my friends when I think they're being fucking ridiculous. Calm the fuck down and let us help you find Sugar Queen."

She turned her back on Aang before he could accept or deny her help. Haru and Tyro stood motionless near the hole in the wall, staring incredulously at the petite raven haired woman who just punched the Avatar who was fresh from coming out of the Avatar state.

Toph knelt on the grimy floor, sweeping her hand across the pavement. She glanced back to Aang, where he was pulling himself to his feet.

"Earlier I felt the earth shift," she stated.

"So?" Aang posed the question the same way Haru had. Toph's answer was to roll her useless eyes at the Avatar.

"It wasn't natural. You don't go underground unless you have something to hide," Haru noted and smirked at the amused expression that crawled across Toph's face.

Toph's brows furrowed. "Beneath this building is a tunnel. It slopes down further into the earth." Toph rose into a horse stance, her hands jerking apart to split the earth violently in front of her. The remaining walls of the dying building shuddered slightly before settling. At once, the smell that arose assaulted their noses. Toph gagged slightly while the men's nose wrinkled in distaste.

"You have got to be kidding me!" yelled Toph. "A _sewer_? The streets smell like jasmine flowers compared to this!"

Aang approached the frustrated earth bender, laying a white hand on her olive green clad shoulder. Clearing his throat to speak, he spared a glance towards Tyro and Haru, who stood tensely some ways away. "The sewerage mixes with the rain water before flowing down the mountain. I can bend it away." His voice was dry and husky from days of disuse. Toph merely nodded before ripping her shoulder out of his grip and stomped to Haru, who in turn put a protective arm around the earth bender. Aang raised a black brow but said nothing, instead leaping into the hole in the earth and dropping into ankle high waste which he promptly bended away from him. The sewer was circular and made from red brick, the lower foot of the tunnel stained a dirty brown from years of flowing muck. He glanced behind him and saw a metal grate that stopped larger debris from floating further down the tunnel before raising his gaze to see the three earth benders peering down at him from their somewhat clean perches. He jerked his head, telling them to follow, before heading down a part of the sewer that wasn't blocked by a metal grate. A moment later Tyro and Haru, who was carrying a now somewhat calm Toph, leapt in after him. Aang bent the sewerage away from their feet and Haru gently placed Toph on the stained brick. She pinched her nose at the smell which was even stronger now that they were almost ankle deep in the source of said smell. Without a word, she followed Aang and motioned for the father and son to do the same. Aang was about to procure a small tongue of fire in his palm to help light the way when Tyro darted forward and grasped his wrist firmly. He paused in his tracks and shot the old man a glare that could kill before Tyro said "Don't light your palm. The gases in this tunnel could ignite and kill us all. Trust your earth bending teacher to guide you in the right direction."

They stood staring at each other for mere seconds before Aang nodded his head stiffly, Tyro releasing his hand. Aang stepped to the side to allow Toph ahead of him who didn't seem fazed by the tense interaction. Begrudgingly, Aang followed her into the near darkness of the sewers.

They walked for long and silent, tense minutes before the tunnel started to slope into a steady descent, Aang bending the waste away in a larger perimeter to be sure no one stood anywhere they didn't want to. Rats and mice squeaked and hid from the intruders. A soft, rumbling hissing and rumbling sound travelled through the tunnel as it sunk further downwards into the earth.

"How much fur-ugh!" Haru had begun, only to have Toph turn around quickly and slap a hand over his mouth, hushing him. She lowered her voice to a bare whisper and removed her hand, the sound carrying and bouncing off the brick walls to reverberate around the quartet.

"A few feet ahead the tunnel curves before going into a sheer drop off the side of the mountain. There's a small opening to the right of the drop off. I almost missed it because of the vibrations of the waste flow, but I can feel heartbeats against the stone." She faced Aang and tugged him down towards her to whisper directly into his ear. "I sense about three heartbeats in the room. One of them is Katara's and it's weak." She felt him tense, and unbeknown to the Blind Bandit, the tunnel lit up as a flare of blue sprang from the air bender. "You can't go all 'Avatar State' because the room is crudely made and unstable. One wrong move and we'll be crushed by rock. My earth bending may be powerful, but it's not powerful enough to hold over one hundred and fifty feet of solid rock in place. I don't think yours is either. We have to do this quickly, and quietly."

Toph released him and turned to whisper to Tyro and Haru, quickly telling them of the predicament and the rough plan. She was halfway through telling them about Katara and her weak state when she felt sludge rush over her feet.

Aang had taken off, using the darkness as a cover and using his air bending to escape her attention.

"Damnit Aang!" she growled, before bending a few bricks to lay a path through the waste, above the filth. She took off after the idiotic and single minded Avatar, all the while using curse words that would make her proper mother faint, leaving Tyro and Haru to follow her if they so pleased. Toph berated the whole situation. One that could have been dealt with swiftly and silently had Aang decided to use that thick, bald head of his for a minute.

_Stupid love sick, over protective Avatar._

_Stupid Katara for getting separated from Tyro._

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

In the midst of her berating, some part of her thought Aangs concern for Katara was sweet and she wondered, hopefully, if there was someone in the world who would be this fiercely protective of her one day.

Another part of her secretly hoped that person was Haru.

_Stupid, stupid, stupid!_


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: It feels like FOREVER since I've updated and i apologise but writers block is a B*TCH! To get through the story a little faster, i sped this chapter up a bit towards the end. I would have dragged it out but I've found myself impatient to finish this story. I have a gazilion more ideas for different stories I'd like to do but I've resigned myself to finishing this one before I start another...**

**You're welcome :P**

**Cheers! - beemera**

Katara sat in silence in the dimmed room. After she had blacked out she didn't scream and felt no pain when the blows were rained down on her limp form. The stiffness of her body, slouched in the wooden chair, screamed in protest if she even so much as lifted a finger. If she were to guess, Fong and his men had done some internal bruising. She took a deep breath in, trying to think her way out of her predicament, only to grunt in pain when she felt a rib crack and shift. _Cracked ribs, broken nose, internal and exterior bruising. _Katara knew Aang would come for her. If not Aang then Tyro, Haru and Toph. No doubt her disappearance hadn't gone unnoticed by her companions. In the near darkness, waiting to be rescued, Katara couldn't help but mull over her relationship with Aang. They had started out at strangers, then friends and had now progressed to lovers. They were lovers, weren't they? Her chair creaked as she shifted her stiff limbs into a more comfortable position, as comfortable as one could get bound to a chair with their hands behind their back in a near freezing underground room. She winced when pain lashed her leg. _Great… don't tell me…_

Although she knew she wouldn't be able to speak properly if Fong decided to interrogate her again, at least she could still curse him in her mind and that gave her some relief. She twisted her wrists slightly, only to feel the course rope grate her skin. Whoever had tied them had been determined not to let her escape. After a few tries to wriggle her hands free, she gave up, the skin now stinging and raw.

She had been so selfish and foolish for treating Aang with such disregard. He had needed her more than ever, yet she had run from him at the first sign of trouble. Waking to find out you are the last of your kind, and the blood and demise of your people was on your young hands must have killed Aang inside. She had tried to understand, to be there for him but the truth is she would never know what that feels like. Yes, she was the last water bender in the South Pole but she still had her people, regardless if they could bend or not. They had their sister Northern Tribe as well. Aang had nothing but a few trinkets to his name, some people labelling them 'antiques' and 'relics' of a time when things were peaceful. He had grown up knowing only peace and prosperity only to be plunged into a world in turmoil and at war. On top of everything, he had to learn, under an extremely tight deadline, to master all four elements. He wasn't even given enough time to think or feel for himself. As the Avatar, he had a duty to the world to maintain peace and harmony but he was a human being also.

He felt pain, anger, sadness and… love. He had needed her and she turned away from him.

Katara would never know the depth of sorrow he harboured inside of him or that she was his remedy. He was lost and confused and angry, much like she was when she found her mother, Kya, broken and bloodied in their home. It was the same home that Katara, a girl of six, vowed to take her revenge as she plucked her mothers' necklace from Kya's cooling fingers. She remembered that the anger and feeling of helplessness had eaten away at her until she had snapped, resorting to blood bending and contemplated murder as she had done for years before that. She had once felt the same way Aang did, only he was drunk with rage and acted on impulse. It was a burden of sorrow and guilt he would carry for the rest of his life, and she had run from him when he needed her the most.

_It's funny, I don't even remember what we fought about. It all seems so… petty in comparison, _she thought.

The squeal of a heavy metal door above her made her start, only to bite back a shriek of pain as it wracked her body. Boots thudded down a stairs and moved to approach her from behind. She dared not try and turn around to give him the pleasure of her acknowledgment that he was there. His footsteps were lazy, not the strong and regular stride of Fong. _Must be one of his henchmen…_ She could smell the alcohol on his breath and could hear the sick grin in his voice as he spoke.

"My, my, my. When the General asked me and my friend here to watch a prisoner, we weren't expecting such a beautiful captive." He plucked the material covering her shoulder, as if inspecting her. She had been too aware of the man behind her that she hadn't noticed another man entered the underground room. He was cloaked in shadows but moved enough for her to see the shift in the darkness. She swallowed her panic as the man started to circle her, picking up a stray lock of hair and inhaling its scent. Katara had to swallow back vomit. His finger burned a dirty trail along her shoulders, making her recoil in disgust. "You know what, Reg? It's awfully quiet down here, don't you think?" The man in the shadows snickered in agreement. Around and around, the man still circled and all the while touching her; her shoulders, bruised face, neck and chest.

Suddenly he was hitting her. The pain radiated outwards until she could feel his blows coming from every angle at the same time. She couldn't cry out; he had winded her. Then he was back to circling around and around and around, trailing his fingers over her bloodied, bruised and sensitive skin. The touches were nowhere private yet she felt violated all the same. He stopped pacing and knelt in front of her, his grimy face now in view. It wasn't until he was right in front of her that she realised that her left eye was almost swollen shut. His toothless grin made her insides squirm. He leaned up and Katara got a face full of body odour. She couldn't suppress her gag. He threaded his fingers through her matted hair and gripped the strands, gradually increasing the pressure until she was swallowing her screams of pain that her already broken body were radiating. All the while, the man in the shadows, 'Reg,' cackled in perverted enjoyment. _Too much…_

The mans' breath made her eyes water, his face only inches from hers. He yanked her hair, her tender scalp feeling as if it were parting from her skull. She couldn't help her scream of pain, which only seemed to excite the man more. Her vision started to waver. _I can't handle this much longer… it's too much… Aang, I'm so sorry. It's too much… _She felt a tear track down her bruised cheek. It even physically hurt to cry. She bit her lip to stop from crying out further, drawing blood, as he leant down to whispered in her ear.

"You know, little girl. Down here, no one can hear you scream."

A voice from the doorway made the man release her and spin to face the intruder, Reg following suit.

"I wouldn't say that."

Through the film of tears, Katara could see the vague outline of a tall figure, the weak lamplight illuminating him from behind until the blue glow illuminated him and the room.

Her vision blacked out, and little white dots appeared behind her eyelids. Desperately, she snapped her eyes wide to see Aang. He had come for her. After everything, he had come for her. She felt herself slip a little into the darkness but fought with all her remaining strength which was quickly depleting as a result of her injuries. They had harmed her worse than she initially thought as the numbness started, a blissful change to the pain that had been present only moments before. She felt his gaze flicker over her and she had the strange urge to laugh and explain her current state of dress. His glowing eyes revealed no emotion and that was probably what scared the men most of all. It would have scared Katara too, had she not been overwhelmed with relief that he had come for her. Her eyesight wavered, but she focused on Aang, who was now slowly and deliberately descending the stairs. He reached the bottom step when she couldn't hold her head up anymore. _Too much…_

The smell of fear and urine permeated the tight air space, following by earth crunching and grinding and bright blue light that pierced through her closed eyelids.

_Aang came for me… it's too much… Aang, I'm sorry… it's too much._

She let herself give into the comforting, inky blackness but not before she heard an unearthly scream.

_I love you, Aang…_

Then there was nothing.

Aang cradled Katara's limp form out into the tunnel as rocks rained down from above. He had slipped into the Avatar state when he saw Katara almost unconscious and bound to a chair, at the mercy of perverts. He refused to look down at her for fear he might slip again. Hot tears tracked down his face, but he didn't notice. All he cared about was getting Katara's heart beating again. He could feel the stillness of it as he clutched her, darting out into the sewer, spying Toph, Haru and Tyro just about to enter the room that was now rapidly falling to pieces.

"Twinkletoes! What the hell did you do?!"

"The tunnels fucking collapsing Toph! Which way?" He yelled out above the near deafening crashing of rock, darting past them. Without hesitation the three earth benders followed.

Muck and filth started to stir violently as the rock above them started to give way, making the ground quake and roll. Toph caught up to Aang before ducking beneath his arm, brushing Katara's form as she past. For a moment, her expression was stricken as she realized the form he was carrying had no heartbeat, no vibrations. She lead the way back up the sewer towards where they came from, fighting the now strong flowing brown current.

From behind them, Haru yelled for Toph to quicken the pace, only to have the Blind Bandit give him an obscene gesture. A gush of air rushed past their forms violently, almost knocking them down. The room and tunnel leading to it had collapsed and now started a domino effect, the tube squeezing the filth back up to the surface.

"Quicken the pace!" yelled Tyro.

"No time!" screamed Toph, how got into a horse stance before blowing a hole in the side of the tunnel. It led to catacomb, of sorts. "Everyone in!"

Aang, still holding Katara's lifeless form, Haru, Tyro and finally Toph entered the chamber before Toph and Haru sealed the makeshift entry. The quaking walls were made all the more frightening by the fact that it was pitch black in the chamber. It was strange to think that only a few feet of rock stood between them and getting crushed. Aang sunk to the ground, cradling Katara nimble as the walls continued to quake, glowing red splits and veins appearing all around them and bathing them in a warm orange glow. The floor partially cracked and red heat rose through the rock, as if the earth itself were bleeding. Tyro answered the question on every ones' mind; where were they?

"Omashu was built on a dormant volcano. It's still very much alive underneath the earth's crust, even though it no longer erupts. This must be an ancient lava tube. The proximity of the city's sewers, followed by the collapse must have stirred the lava beneath."

Haru rushed towards Toph who was about to tread on a red vein. Aang didn't stop to marvel at the natural wonder they were in, instead turning his worry to Katara. He refused to believe that she was gone. Firmly, he shook her shoulders as if to wake her from a sleep.

"Katara! Katara, come back to me. Oh Spirits, _please_. Don't be gone." He shook her harder until her head lolled. Tyro, Haru and Toph were silent, watching with little hope. The whole ordeal between finding her and making their escape into the lava tube lasted mere seconds, but her heart had stopped in her chest. She was with the Spirits, now. Toph let out a near silent whimper and buried her head into Haru's chest, clutching at his shirt as his arms encased her. Tyro watched on with knowing sadness.

Aang refused to acknowledge them, instead intent on bringing the woman he loved back to him. Frantically, he put his ear to her chest. Nothing. Breathing hard, he wracked his brain trying to think. He rocked her back and forth gently, clutching her to his chest, whispering to her how much he loved her, and how he was sorry and that he would try and make it up to. He told her that he had often dreamed of their life together and their children, all the while letting his tears fall unashamedly.

As if by instinct, his hands began to move of their own accord; one to her head and the other to her chest directly above her heart.

Pure white light flooded the room, blinding and deafening flowing through Aang into Katara. He felt his hands sear as if burnt but his skin wasn't scalded. Thousands of voices rang out into the still air and thundered inside of his head. As fast as it had come, it was gone, leaving the Avatar to slump over Katara's body.

Tyro and Haru had shielded their eyes for protection from the searing light, stars still spotting their vision. Toph had a look of confusion on her face that was still buried in Haru's expansive chest.

Aang groaned before shooting upright, clutching Katara to his chest. He closed his eyes and took a breath, willing himself to look at her and praying that he wouldn't slip back into the Avatar state. When he managed to open his eyes and gaze at her, his breath hitched.

Where there had been blood, bruises and broken bones mere minutes ago, it was now flawless and unblemished skin. She looked slightly aglow, despite the near darkness.

"Ka-Katara?" his voice hitched and there was no response. He gently shook her as if she were a new porcelain doll. "Katara?" He stroked her cheek.

She came awake with a start, eyes wide and gulping in air. She coughed a little from the suddenness of it all. Aang felt relief surge through his veins as her cerulean eyes lifted to look into his silver ones.

"Aang?" she croaked. In reply, he merely nodded before lowering his head to kiss her. It was filled with love, passion, apology and pure relief. She returned in kind, ignoring the now uncomfortable earth benders.

He would always come for her, no matter what. They broke apart and touched their foreheads together, breathing the same breath of life with smiles of gratitude lighting their features. Aang's tears remained, but this time they were of joy. "I love you," he breathed, his breath tickling her lips and chin. Her smile was tired but genuine.

"I love you too."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: SORRY! SORRY! SORRY! SORRY! SORRY! It has taken me over a week to update. DAMN YOU, WRITERS BLOCK! Anyways, heres the new chapter :) YAY! Please review (don't make me beg :P ) PS: reviews make me happy**

"I saw my mom."

Katara's breathy whisper was loud enough for only Aang to hear, her eyes downcast and glittering in the muted street light filtering through cracks in brick. They returned to the surface of Omashu after Toph found a safe passage back for them, weaving through the earth to avoid veins of lava and untapped hot springs. Katara had passed out after only a few brief moments of consciousness so she didn't remember the journey upwards. Once they breached the outer shell of earth, they were all surprised to see that Omashu remained untouched and stable despite a large chunk of earth sinking beneath the streets. They had found an abandoned building that was in good enough condition to stay for the night, Aang not once relinquishing his grip on Katara. Toph and Haru inspected the buildings surrounding them, scoping them out if they were attacked again while Tyro had disappeared into the night with mumbled apologies and promises of a swift return. For now, it was just Aang and Katara.

"When I… died. I saw her, my mom," she swallowed audibly, still gazing at the ground. Tenderly, Aang brushed a stray lock of hair off her face, cupping her cheek. She turned her head slowly to look at him, tears about to spill over. He offered her a small, understanding smile but remained silent. "She kept on saying how proud she was of me and Sokka, and how much she loved and missed us. She also told me that for the Avatar to keep balance in the world, he must also have balance within himself."

She took a deep shuddering breath before continuing on with a weak and weary voice.

"When those men captured me, all I could think of was you. When I saw the beam of light shoot into the sky, I knew it was you and that you were in trouble. Maybe not physically, but emotionally and mentally. You're hurting, Aang. But you don't have to do this all on your own." A tear fell, splashing onto his thumb, hand still cupping her cheek. The single drop felt like a knife to the heart. She closed her eyes, willing herself to go on and choking a little past the lump in her throat.

"I've seen you go from a lost and lonely boy to a fully realized Avatar. But you're still that little boy, Aang. Still lost and confused. You literally carry the weight of the world on your shoulders but refuse to let anyone help you with the responsibility and burden of it all. It doesn't make you weak, Aang, to ask for help." Her lids parted to reveal intense cerulean orbs. They bore into his soul. Her voice got gradually stronger and firmer, her resolve more passionate.

"After everything we've been through, I'd thought you would know that by now. We have all hurt people, Aang. It's inevitable in war times, but you have to understand that the people who truly love you, forgive you. You just have to forgive yourself."

The room was filled with shuddering breaths and the sound of weeping and suddenly Katara's arms were around him, rocking him as if he were a child again. He felt her tunic grow damp beneath his cheek where his head was tucked into her shoulder and he realised that the heart wrenching sobs were coming from him. Somewhere through the haze of emotion, he kept muttering apologies; to Katara, to his people, to his predecessors and everyone whom he had hurt.

They stayed in the tight embrace for what felt like hours before the tears stemmed and he felt safe enough to detach from her without fear of collapsing in on himself. For a brief moment, he feared a look of disgust in her eyes at his display of weakness, but when he searched their depths he saw nothing but love and understanding.

"Katara, I…" He trailed off, his voice raw and patchy. She took his hands in hers, stroking her thumb across his knuckles. A simple yet soothing gesture.

"Katara, I… It's the Avatar's duty to protect the world. I have been given these powers for a reason. When I was first told I was the Avatar, the monks said I could never have a family of my own. I was just a boy, with daydreams of the future; a soul mate, children. And fate bought me to you. Not in the way I expected. I feel so conflicted and guilty. The loss of my people is a black stain on my soul, Katara. It will never fully go away. I love and miss my culture, but at the same time I can't come to fully regret my decisions because I would never have met you. We were born a century apart, and that's all history would have seen it as had I stayed with my people. I love my people, Katara, but I also love you."

He didn't quite know when, but one of his hands had drifted upwards out of her grasp, to stroke her beautiful face. She leaned into his touch, relishing the tenderness after so much heart ache.

"I'm the last Air bender, Katara; the last of a peaceful, nomadic culture. I don't just carry the burden of being the Avatar but also of making sure my culture stays alive somehow. Otherwise the memory of the Air Nomads will just be a chapter in a history book and soon will simply be a legend or myth." They gazed at each other, the silence stretching between them. She tightened her grip on his hands reassuringly.

"You don't have to do this alone, Aang. I love you and that means we are in this together. After everything that happened between us, I'm still here, aren't I?"

She leaned forward to touch her forehead to his, gazing deep into his silver-grey eyes.

"You have to trust me when I say that I'm not going anywhere."

It wasn't a statement, it was a promise. Aang saw her resolve in her ocean blue eyes. Through times of war, heartache, triumph and hardship, she had been the one constant he had always relied upon. She was there for him all along. It was this amazing, beautiful water bender in front of him that had bought him back from the Spirit World to live once more. She truly was his balm. His fear of being weak in front of her was something that should never have been presented in the first place. He hid nothing from her, and she hid nothing from him. They had shared heartfelt longings and secrets as friends, so why should they as lovers?

All the problems that arose after they were intimate together seemed so petty now. Together they would face the future, no matter what happened.

She must have detected his shift in thought pattern because her eyes suddenly grew dark, her bottom lip drawn beneath her teeth. The simple and alluring movement made his heart speed up and the next moment their lips were crashing together, arms holding each other tightly as if to melt into one another. They transferred their pent up frustration into a passionate kiss. Aang's tongue glided along her bottom lip, making Katara gasp and moan into his mouth. He took advantage of the brief opening, his tongue seeking hers to stroke and tease her. She returned in kind, her arms wrapped around him, her nails digging into his back to clutch him to her. Their tongues battled against each other, driving the lust higher and higher.

A snicker drew them out their near-mindless state, their faces parting but not their bodies. Katara was now straddling Aang's lap, their arms around each other. They turned to see Toph and Haru standing across the room. Haru had a hand over his eyes in respect, and comically, had his other hand over Toph's.

Toph slapped his hand away, still chucking. She strode across the room to stand a few feet away from them, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Glad to see you two have _kissed_ and made up. If you don't mind, I'd rather you not have sex in the house." She mock scolded. Aang simply rolled his eyes and in one swift movement raised his hand upwards, a dome of earth surrounding him and Katara. Even through the earth, Aang could hear Toph howl with laughter before teasing Haru.

"Um… Aang?" Katara whispered, her mouth mere inches away from his own.

"Yes?"

"I can't see in here." Aang let out a husky laugh. He could see her perfectly with his earth bending.

"Lacking one sense heightens the others." He leaned forward, his lips brushing her ear lobe, making her shiver.

"Oh, water bender, the things I could do to you."

He heard her breath hitch before his lips descended on hers.

Outside of the earth dome, where Aang and Katara would more than likely be getting re-acquainted, Toph wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. She didn't have to see to know that Haru was blushing with embarrassment.

"Oh come _on_, Stud. You have to admit it was funny. I mean, covering the blind girls eyes? Ha! Hilarious!"

Haru shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. Toph snickered again, but stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide before she sprinted for Haru, crossing the distance between them in four strides. She launched herself at him, trusting him to catch her. He did.

"Please, for the love of the Spirits, don't put me down." She scrambled out of his brawny arms to climb over his shoulders, clutching onto his back, her petite arms around his neck. For a moment, Haru was on the alert, his senses heightening and stretching outwards to sense for danger.

"Toph, what the f-"

"Shhhhh! Just… just shush and carry me to somewhere with a _wooden_ floor."

Still slightly confused, Haru grasped her under her knees and strode towards the back of the building, going around the earth dome. Toph wriggled a little, making him veer off course slightly so that his foot and her knee brushed against the earth tent. The vibrations reverberated up his frame and his eyes went wide, mouth forming an 'oh.' Toph shuddered in mock disgust against his muscled back.

"Yeah, 'oh.' Until further notice, I'll be residing on a wooden surface until those two are finished their _alone_ time. Now, giddy-up!" Toph spurred Haru on, reaching down to slap his behind. Haru chuckled, the vibrations making Toph shiver. She loved that sound.

After a few more moments, Haru placed Toph down on weathered floorboards.

"You know, I don't think I've ever been so thankful for wood in my life," she smirked. Since she was completely blind on any surface other than earth or metal, she simply waited for Haru to approach her. Soon enough, his heavy strides sounded as he turned to face her, his warm hand moving to clutch the back of her neck. She leaned into his touch.

She jumped a little as he whispered seductively in her ear.

"You know, we're technically alone in here." He tongue swiped along her ear love, making her shiver.

"Is that so?" _Damn, is that my voice that sounds so breathy?_

"Mhmm." Haru's spare hand started to stroke her hip through the fabric of her tunic, thumbs drawing lazy circles. Toph raised her hands to his chest, the gentle _thump thump_ of his heart painting his image in her mind. She flexed her fingers against his pecs.

"What do you suggest we do about it?" _Spirits, why am I so jelly-legged?_

Haru's' deep timbre reverberated against her chest, a jolt of pleasure spearing down her spine to settle in the form of wet heat between her legs. Her knees almost buckled as he said "I have a few ideas…"


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Here's another chapter for you! :) I just want to say, reading all your amazing comments gave me SO. MANY. FEELS. I was almost squealing with happiness. In saying that, I wouldn't mind a few more reviews :P Also, this is a shorter chapter than normal. I apologise, but i didn't want to squash too much into a single chapter. You understand, right? :) xx enjoy!**

**WARNING: This chapter contains some graphic scenes in regards to torture.**

"Please. Let her go. I'll tell you anything you want, just _please. Let her go_."

Fong paced slowly, deliberately in front of the whimpering boy, secretly revelling in the screams of pain floating down the stone hallway. Each shriek made the boy visible cringe and shrink. He had been stubborn and so had the female. Up until this point, they had been resistant in his attempts to gather information on the Avatar. That is, until he had them separated. Fong continued to pace, the boy whimpering, trying not to grimace around his bruised face and swollen eye. He was nothing more than a mass of tenderised human flesh. They had broken him, but not to the point of no return. No, they still needed him and the girl.

"Tell me what you know about the Avatar, boy. Why is he in Omashu?"

The boy remained silent. It seemed he had found a small sense of pride and indignation in the silence that now enveloped them. Either the girl was being prepared for a fresh wave of torture, or she had been knocked unconscious. He hoped the former. Sure enough, fresh screams floated down the hallway and the boy started to cry, hanging his head.

"H-he… He's on his way to the western shores to stop the upheaval."

Fong knew the boy wasn't telling him everything. He casually strolled around the boy, stopping at the table laden with odd and sharp instruments the boy faced away from. Fong reached out, plucking an instrument from the table, making it clink against the wood. The boy gagged a little in fear.

"There was- there was an i-incident…" This piqued Fong's interest. Leaning over, Fong placed the cool metal edge against the boys throat, his throat moving as he tried to swallow his fear. Fong moved around to face him, the metal edge never leaving the boys neck. He crouched down to the boys level.

"What incident?"

More tears and more shrieks from down the hall. "We were ambushed. B-by a gang of f-fire benders. He killed them, then disappeared with…" The boy managed to catch himself a little. Fong pressed the metal a bit firmer against the boys skin. He whimpered.

"With who, boy?"

"My sister."

Satisfied for the time being, Fong stood in front of the water tribe boy, half annoyed and half grateful he didn't recognise him. He withdrew his hand to reveal the metal object that caused him to talk.

A spoon.

The boys eyes widened before he cried out in anguish, the sound like music to Fong's ears as he made his way towards the girl.

"_Fuck you!_" Suki fought her bonds as the wiry man looked at her with a mixture of hatred and sick satisfaction. Suki was bound to a wooden chair, manacles clamping her wrists to the arms of the chair, her ankles to the legs. A few times, the man had come close enough to be the victim of Suki's spit. Each time, he had procured a new device, a new way of making her feel pain. But pain, inflicted by any object, was still pain. And shamefully she had screamed.

The worst part was knowing Sokka was only just down the hall, as helpless as she was. Occasionally she heard him cry out, whether in pain or anguish at her cries, she didn't know. She didn't want to know.

Out of the man's dirty, blood encrusted pants pocket, he withdrew a short length of bamboo. Suki's eyes widened. She often heard stories and recollections from prisoners who had been victims of torture. The bamboo was always the last straw, which one prayed for either mercy or death. She felt herself go pale and skin sweat.

The wooden length was filed into a sharp, thin point. It was meant to slowly slide into and under a person's skin, separating it from muscle. Suki had to try and swallow back a bit of vomit. The man stalked closer and she started to wretch from fear, eyes wide and pleading. She would never say it out loud, preferring not to sink into this sicko's perverted fantasy of her screaming for mercy.

He seemed to peruse her, taking his time to choose where to slide the bamboo.

He knelt in front of her, his rancid breath escaping and covering her face with spittle. She bit her cheek and turned her head.

The door flung open, and there stood another man, built like a brick wall. His shoulders so wide he barely fit through the door. His face was cast in shadow, but judging by the way the wiry man shot to his feet gave her the impression that he was a man of high rank.

Suki hated power abusers.

Without a word, the larger man jerked his head, the wiry man stumbling to leave the room. At the doorway, wiry man was stopped with a wide hand on the shoulder, the bamboo trading hands. Suki couldn't help but feel a bit betrayed. She had hoped the wiry man would leave, taking his stupid piece of wood with him. Apparently not. The door closed, locking Suki and the big guy in.

He paced behind her, the hairs on her neck raised a little. She started to pant with fear and she could almost hear his satisfied smile. Eventually he rounded to face her, his face still in semi-darkness.

"Tell me why the Avatar is in Omashu."

Suki spat in his face. He didn't move, not even to wipe it off.

The bamboo was in his grasp, his hand clamping over hers. She watched as if from a distance as the point neared a nail bed. Suki bit her cheek, not wanting to give away how terrified she truly was. The point made contact, gradually pushing in. Suki let a tear escape. Another few millimetres and Suki let a whimper past her lips. When he wriggled it, she screamed out. When her nail lifted away, she gave in.

"He's on his way to the western shores! He's trying to stop the upheavals! Please! No more! Just let me go!" The man thrust the bamboo forward again, splitting skin, blood pouring onto her leg as she screamed out.

"Who does he know in Omashu? Where would he be hiding?"

"P-please! I don't know! I don't k-" Another thrust, another scream.

"Bumi! He only knows Bumi!" The man didn't push the wood in any further, nor did he remove it. He simply stood and left, leaving Suki to cry, apologising to Aang before exhaustion made her limp.

"Your Highness. You wanted to see me?"

Kian sat at the head of the large dining table, a feast spread out on its surface from Fire Nation fruit to fresh fish caught in the waters of the North Pole. Roasted turtle-duck with vegetables and an array of pasties sat in the centre. Kian was greedily picking away at some helpless morsel, shredding it and swallowing. He gestured for Fong to come closer. Begrudgingly, the General acquiesced.

"What have you learnt from the prisoners?" Kian asked, taking a hearty gulp of rare Fire Nation wine, a little trickling down his chin. Fong averted his gaze, slightly disgusted.

"The Avatar stopped in Omashu on his way to stop the upheavals on the western shores. We believe he is still in the city."

Kian nodded. "Good. Good. And the bison?"

"Securely locked away in the dungeons, Your Highness."

"Thank you General. Anything else?"

Fong was about to tell Kian about the Avatar killing some fire benders before taking off with a water tribe girl, but decided against it. He preferred to keep this information close at hand, for the time being. Until he could make his move. Instead he said 'No, your Majesty."

"Very well. You may leave," Kian stated, spitting a chunk of potato onto the table as he waved Fong away. Fong retreated three steps and bowed before taking his leave.

At the door, he paused and looked back at Kian.

"Your Majesty?"

Kian grunted.

"Since the Avatar has now mastered all four elements, I suggest having our best agents and soldiers at my disposal during the hunt for him."

Kian swallowed a mouthful of food, chasing it with a bit of wine before eying the general.

"Very well. You have my permission. Now go, before I change my mind."

Fong bowed again, not being able to withhold his smile as soon as he was out of the King's sight. Quickening his pace, he wound his way through the palace to the inner wall where the soldiers barracks were placed. He stopped outside, hearing the raised voices of the men inside. The occupants were lively once alcohol was in their system, but sober, they were soldiers and agents worthy of Ba Sing Se's Dai Li. Steeling his gaze and straightening his spine, he swung the door open, ducking a little as a glass flew over his head to smash against the door jamb. The group of thirty or so men were laughing, growling, singing or fighting.

It reminded Fong of his time of initiation into the Earth Kingdom Army.

He went unnoticed for a few minutes, simply surveying the scene. As his patience wore thin, he brought down one large, booted foot. The earth quivered and rolled, making a few men stumble and spill their drinks as they cried in outrage. As a single unit, they turned to face the intruder, scowls firmly in place. One man from the back decided to be brave, raising his voice in a drunken slur.

"Hoo the fuck 'r yoo?"

"My name is General Fong, personal advisor to King Kian and head the Royal Guard. The King has graciously offered your services to be at my disposal for an undisclosed amount of time." A few men groaned but the majority seemed to sober up at his words.

"The Avatar is in Omashu. I want him destroyed. Do you accept this mission?"

Blood thirsty grins replaced scowls of hatred, a handful of men grunting their agreement.

"I said, _do you accept this mission?_" Fong growled loudly. All the men shouted, raising their fists to the sky. Fong smiled. _Perfect_.

"Sober up, gentleman. At dawn, we visit an old friends grave."

**A/N: Fact: the sharpened bit of bamboo was often used on POW during Vietnam. Sorry if it gave anyone the heeby-jeebies**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: WOOHOO! NO MORE WRITERS BLOCK! YAAAAAY! Sorry it took so long for this chapter to be posted :/ I was just as frustrated as you all, believe me. Anywho, this chapter has a LEMON, so... enjoy you randy devils! :)**

**PS: If you would be so kind as to review, I will give you a virtual cookie :)**

**Cheers!**

**beemera**

Lying within Aang's naked embrace, Katara felt more content then she ever had before. In the darkness of the earth tent, she resigned herself to running her palm against his bare back, feeling the contours of muscle along his spine. He sighed and clutched her tighter to him in sleep, as if afraid she'd disappear. Katara smiled in the darkness. The past few weeks had been wrought with strife, heartache and separation between the two young lovers. They never had any real time to simply _be_. Aang's breathing quickened slightly and Katara felt him stir. Feather light kisses dotted her forehead, her cheeks and her eyelids before Aang nuzzled her neck, making her giggle. She felt Aang smile against her skin. Aang rose, leaning back on one elbow, adjusting Katara so she lay half underneath him.

"Good morning," he whispered, his hot breath making her shiver.

"How do you know its morning?"

Aang shrugged. "As a fire bender I rise with the sun." A small lick of flame ignited the two, Katara squinting a little at the sudden flare of light.

"Oh, right. I forgot," she smiled sheepishly. Aang smiled in turn as he reached up to stroke a slender finger along her jaw, Katara leaning into the touch, relishing it.

Aangs smile faltered in the dim light and sighing, he dropped his hand, releasing the small ball of flame to float towards the roof of the dome, where it stayed, hovering in thin air.

"Aang? What is it?" Katara asked, letting concern thread through her voice.

Biting his lip, Aang glanced at Katara. She looked so beautiful in the warm orange light; her lips moist and slightly puffy, hair mussed and gloriously naked. Despite his current inner turmoil, Aang felt himself stir.

Tracing the contours of her hip, Aang gazed into Katara's cerulean eyes, searching for any hint that would make him stop. At the first brush of his hand on the underside of her breast, Katara's breath hitched, her eyes darkened with her arousal.

Lazily, Aang dragged a finger across her ribs to her other breast to tease the underside. Katara felt lust, hot and needy, pool in her belly. Aang continued his lazy administrations, taking care to avoid where she ached to be touched. Gradually, Aang made his way down, down, down to the crux of her thighs. His touch was too light, too lazy, too _infuriatingly _erotic for Katara to stop him. She wanted to beg, but her pride won out, even through the haze of need that clouded her thoughts.

He cupped a large hand over her nether-lips, making her whimper.

_Spirits be damned…_ Katara thought. "Aang… please…" she begged.

Aang began to grind the heel of his palm against her, the pressure and movement making her roll her hips to meet it. He continued like this for a few more moments; grinding, stroking, teasing but never penetrating.

Frustrated, Katara made a move to sit up, only to have Aang push her back down again, the proximity of his body heat making her near mindless. Shuffling closer towards her, Aang pinned her legs down with one of his, his hard length brushing against her hip. Teasing her, and seeing her lose herself in pleasure was like a drug to Aang. Her breath hitched a little before she panted with need, her round breasts and pert nipples thrusting into the air as she rolled her hips to meet his now soaked hand. Katara, who was always in control, was now almost insane and Aang loved every second of it.

Her mocha skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, making her glisten in the faint light. His control started to slip the moment she started to beg. He doubted she was even aware of her small pleas for release, unrestricted on an urgent whisper. In the small space, the combination of the small flame and body heat was making their skin slick and he soon found it hard to keep her legs pinned with one of his own.

Katara was desperate to get things underway and yet Aang still continued his slow, sensual assault. Deciding to take matters into her own hand, Katara shoved Aangs hand and leg away, making him flip unceremoniously onto his back, arms haloing his shocked face. She missed the contact already.

In one quick move, Katara had straddled him and bent the sweat from both their bodies, flicking it in half to ice around Aangs wrists, pinning him to the ground. She smirked as his eyes widened.

Skimming her hand up the length of his torso, hands dipping into the contours of muscle, Katara leant forward little by little, her long hair brushing along his heated skin. At the first brush of her sensitive nipples on his chest, they both released a groan. She leant down to whisper sweet nothings in his ear, hearing him swallow audible, his cock going rigid to prod her behind. Katara let herself feel smug for having such a powerful being such as Aang at her sensual mercy. Lifting her hips a fraction, Katara felt the tip of his cock brush along her entrance, hot and slick, making him cry out in frustrated ecstasy. She almost caved and sunk onto him then and there, but caught herself, instead letting her moist lips envelope and stroke him with a small thrust of her hips.

Aang clenched his jaw, feeling his muscles bunch under the strain. Although he could easily break through the ice manacles she created, he didn't. Watching his love tease him, having her way with him, made his arousal rocket to new heights. The flickering light of the flame kissed her mocha skin and made her lust-darkened eyes shimmer. He was entranced by this wanton female that stroked him, wetting him and gliding her small, hot palms all over his body.

Katara glided along his shaft once again and Aang couldn't help but thrust into it, Katara crying out as the pressure and sensation made her clit throb in the most delicious way. She bit her lip, moving her hands from his torso to her own, stroking and kneading her heavy, lush breasts. Her nipples puckered at the feverish touch, yet still she ground against him, teasing and taking her time. Her movements quickened as she felt a coil tighten inside, her fingers pinching her nipples, driving her and Aang wild. He was now thrusting into her slick heat, desperate to be inside of her and yet she made no move to mount him. He gave a brutal thrust upwards as Katara sank down and she erupted, convulsing and moaning his name, her juices flowing and coating his shaft. Before she could finish her orgasm, Aang snapped, melting the ice manacles and flipping her over. In one swift thrust he entered her, her walls still squeezing as a result of her last orgasm. Feeling his own need on the edge, he pounded into her, skin slapping skin as his hands splayed across her arse, lifting her to him for a better angle. Her hands shot up, nails digging into his taught shoulders as she cried out his name, her pussy clamping down on him, desperate to milk him.

"Oh Spirits, Katara. You're making me-" Aang stilled for a fraction of a second before releasing a guttural yell, his seed shooting hot and deep within her. His arms suddenly going weak, he collapsed, rolling at the last second to land beside her, his softened cock slipping from her warmth as he cradled her body to his, both panting with goofy smiles on their faces. He places a chaste kiss to her forehead, Katara closing her eyes in bliss. _This_ was the man she fell in love with; the man who was considerate enough to let her take the lead and knew what she needed before she did.

"I love you," she whispered. He smiled, his eyes sliding shut to savour the moment.

"I love you too."

Silence ensued, but it wasn't for long as Aangs thoughts drifted back to the city, to his duties as the Avatar. Katara must have felt his steady withdrawal.

"Whatever's on your mind, Aang, you can tell me," Katara murmured, turning her face to look into his now opened eyes. He sighed, long and weary.

"I want to see Bumi, but it would be selfish of me to put you in danger again."  
Katara frowned, lifting herself onto an elbow to peer down at him, her hair curtaining the side of her face. "It's not selfish to want to visit your oldest friends grave, Aang. We haven't visited since he was laid to rest. Besides, if I'm with you, I'm safe." She gave him a small, reassuring smile. He could see her logic, but something about the idea of her accompanying him sat ill with him. He had already proven that he would annihilate anything that posed a danger to her, but he still couldn't shake the feeling of something bad about to happen.

Aang gazed long and hard into her trusting blue gaze and felt his worry start to slip. His lips quirked into a small smile and he gave her a curt nod. Katara beamed at him and flung her arms around his neck, clutching him tight. Aang returned the embrace, the uneasy feeling shifting but never really dissipating.

"When did your pops say he would be back, Stud?" Toph asked, biting noisily into an apple as she lounged on an earth chair she made herself. Haru had ventured out for sustenance after their rigorous _activities_. She heard Haru sigh, imagining his shoulders drooping a little. Tyro had been gone most of the night, and still there was no sign of his imminent arrival.

"I'm not sure. He should be back by now." Toph could hear the worry in her lovers' voice.

"I'm sure he's fine. He has more experience and street smarts then the both of us combined. He'll be back, you'll see." Toph finished the juicy fruit, tossing the core to some deserted corner of the building before slapping her bare feet to the ground, striding towards the anxious earth bender. She stopped a few inched from him, feeling the heat of his body washing over her, his scent tingling her nose. She breathed in deep, sighing with a mixture of contentment and pleasure. Haru chuckled, and even without touching him she could feel the warmth of the vibrations through the earth.

"Whats the matter? Do I smell?" Haru asked. She could _hear_ his smirk. She swung her fist to punch his upper arm, making him chuckle again.

"Like flowers, Stud. Better look alive," she said, pointing her finger towards the earth dome that Aang and Katara had occupied for most of the night. A second later, the earth began to shift and crumble, dropping away to reveal the Avatar and the water bender hand in hand, their cheeks flushed and satisfied grins splitting their faces. A small ball of flame extinguished itself with a wave of the Avatars hand.

"Hey you two," Toph teased, crossing her arms across her chest and smirking at them. "Have fun?"

Katara blushed, Aangs smile seeming to widen further.

Toph cocked her head to one side, her lips twitching. "By the way your heart beats just went up, I'll take that as a 'yes'."

The Avatar stepped forward, tugging Katara to follow until they came face to face with the two earth benders. Aang gave Haru a nod in greeting, Haru returning the gesture. Opening his mouth, Aang shot Katara a quick glance and began to shift his weight on his feet, his mouth closing in a bid to find the right words. Toph quirked a brow.

"Spit it out Twinkle Toes. What's up?"

Katara squeezed Aangs hand, spurring him on with a sweet, understanding smile.

"I want to visit Bumi. Before we leave the city." His voice was quiet, almost as if he were embarrassed. Haru had opened his mouth, about to say they need to wait for his father when Tyro appeared, slightly out of breath, his face blank, giving no clue as to where he had been or what he had been doing. Haru eyes his father curiously, the old man meeting his gaze blankly. _Where had he been?_

Toph grinned, her face lighting up, and suddenly she was jumping on Haru, the earth bender caught off guard and scrambling to hold onto the Blind Bandit as she clambered onto his back, arms clutching the muscles his shoulders.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Toph cried. "Let's go visit that crazy son-of-a-badger-mole!"

Toph leant down and smacked Haru on the arse.

"Giddy up!"

They had kept to the roof tops and shadows cast by the early morning sun as they made their way to the southern wall of the city where Bumi was buried. Traditionally, the kings of Omashu were buried in a crypt beneath the palace but Bumi, ever the bizarre and crazy king, made his last wish to be buried in his own earthen tomb on the city's south side. It had baffled the king's court, but none the less, they rushed to fulfil their kings' last wish. By any means, the tomb wasn't opulent or grand but it did have flair. Bumi's tomb was located against the back wall of a single story building overlooking the Kolau Mountain range and Omashu. The ceilings we twenty feet high and the entire building made of gleaming white marble with black veins. A golden plaque, engraved with the fallen Kings name, date of birth and date of death gleamed in the near midday sun. Tyro had managed to procure five sets of loose, cotton cloaks that covered their faces, allowing them to move through crowded areas undetected should the need arise.

As Aang stood at the bottom step of his old friends' tomb, the feeling of wariness returned with a vengeance. He swallowed past the lump in his throat as Katara gliding to stand next to him, her hand seeking his and pulling him back to reality.

"Aang? Are you okay?" Katara asked, her voice gentle. Aang nodded in reply, lifting one leaden foot to step towards the tomb. Each step sapped his energy, anxiety and the longing for his old friend back taking its place in his heart. His breaths began to labour and hitch, a lump forming in his throat as the group of five trotted up the stairs. Passers-by glanced at them for a second in interest before hurrying along, preferring not to stay out in the open too long for fear of what might happen to them.

The top step neared and Aang picked up the pace, sighing with relief on the landing. For some reason, the steps had felt like an obstacle, one that he had to overcome before he could see his old friend at his resting place.

Two columns of gleaming marble stood, like earthen soldiers, on either side of the tombs open entrance. Peering inside, seeming so small in the large, open space, Aang saw Bumi's tomb. Unknowingly, Aangs grip tightened on Katara's hand, and she squeezed back, letting him know she was there for him. He had played with this crazy king as a child, their friendship spanning over a century. Bumi had been there for Aang to provide wisdom that came with his age, and to remind Aang of a time when things may have been simpler, but had no Katara. He never thought he'd be so glad to have been frozen in ice for a hundred years. Surprisingly, the crazy kings crypt was untouched by vandals and the filth of the city that lay only a few hundred yards away.

Aang strode forward, the others following. Their steps echoed off the walls and floor, their very breath seeming to sound amplified in the cavernous room of marble. Bumi's tomb got larger. From the outside, it seemed unassuming and plain, but as the group neared, they took a closer look, coming to a stop before the slightly raised dais at a thick velvet rope, the woven material acting as a barrier between civilisation and the royal resting place. A carved slab of marble sealed the top of the marble crypt that housed the crazy king, intricate designed of vines and flower buds swirling to meet dead centre where a large depiction of a white lotus sat, its petals outlined in gold. The tomb itself was large, about eight feet long, five feet wide and five feet deep. Through a few inches of shimmering white marble, Aangs oldest, dearest friend lay in eternal peace, finally with the Spirits.

Aang stepped forward, ducking under the velvet rope to ascend the three steps towards his old friend. Gingerly, his hands reached forward, pausing before making contact with the smooth, cool marble. He clenched his fist, dropping it away and averting his gaze. A tear fell, and then another, and soon silent sobs wracked his body, tears streaming down his face.

There were so many things he had missed out on. Growing up with Bumi, being able to live as a normal child without the weight of the world on his shoulder. Bumi had been the one constant, a memory of his old life, a helping hand for his transition into his new one. And now he was gone. All that was left of Bumi's legacy are mumbling of a crazy Earth Kingdom King and a crumbling city at the hands of a tyrant. He may have saved the world, but he had managed to fail his oldest friend. He had murdered, he had hurt people on purpose. Katara had forgiven him, which dulled the ache, yet he knew in his heart that he would spend the rest of his life, his own and his incarnates, making up for his mistake.

His duty is to protect the world and restore balance, and all he had done was shift the balance in his favour, choosing love over worldly duties.

Did he regret it? No. But the feeling of failure ate at him from the inside.

His tears eventually ceased, his eyes now dry, red and puffy. He glances at his four companions who were looking up at him with sympathy. He shot them a tight smile before turning his gaze towards Bumi's tomb.

Steeling himself, he inched a hand forward to bid a final farewell to his dear friend.

His hand stroked the cool, white marble…

And then all hell broke loose.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Short chapter, I know. But do you trust me? Of course you do! Just a quick little thanks to all you amazing readers and reviewers. I officially love every single one of you!**

**PS: does anyone else think that Dante Basco (the voice of Zuko) is cute in real life too? I do! I mean, seriously, that sexy, raspy voice... *shivers* I wouldn't mind waking up to that voice every morning :P Also, I had a huge crush on his character, Rufio from HOOK, as a kid :D Just a weird little fact!**

The sound of earth cracking and erupting screeched through the midday air. Beneath Aangs fingers, the white marble fissured and split, sending a cloud of rock dust and pressurized air into his face. His eyes stung from the gritty mix, his hands wiping desperately to try and clear his vision. He heard his comrades shout in alarm, before silence, then the thump of bodies making contact with the floor. Panic surged through him, his eyes watering and his eyesight finally beginning to clear.

"Katara? Toph? Talk to me!"

No answer. His teary eyes made his vision hazy, but as he looked back towards where his friends and lover had been mere seconds before, he saw four clumps on the ground, unmoving, surrounded by a dozen or so bulky shadows. His blood froze in his veins. His harried mind tried to make sense of the situation. _A trap? How? Who? Why didn't Toph sense them?_

A slow clapping rose, the sound bouncing off the stone to reverberate in his skull. It was a slow, mocking tempo. A man's' deep bass thrummed in the air, making his ears twitch to try and locate its position in the echoing chamber. The noise was all around him, it was difficult to tell.

"Well, well, well. I would have thought it to be more of a challenge to finally capture you, Avatar. I guess I will have to settle for the disappointment, though. A pity I wouldn't be able to fight you once again."

Aang froze his eyes still not fully clear. _That voice… Where have I heard that man before?_

"Who are you? What do you want?" Aang barked. The man simply laughed. Aang growled low in his throat, crouching low in a defensive position, fixing his eyes on the largest black smudge of all. Aang took a threatening step forward.

"What have you do-"

Something sharp pierced his neck. He tried to swat it away, but found his arms felt too heavy. Aang stumbled forward as the numbness crept through his veins, his legs struggling to hold up his own body weight. Aangs eyes darted back and forth, the grit slowly but surely dissipating. His knees connected with the floor, followed by his torso and then his head, but he didn't feel it. His skull bounced off the marble but still he felt nothing. A pair of large, black boots came into view, the same deep voice wrapping around his vulnerable form.

_Why aren't I in the Avatar state yet? What's happening to me?_

"We met once before, Avatar," the man sneered, pure hatred spilling forth from his lips. "You degraded me, made me _nothing_!"

The man swung one massive boot into Aangs stomach. Although his body was numb, he heard a crack. This man meant for him to suffer. Two boots strolled casually around his limp form as the man continued his tyrannical monologue.

"All I wanted was for the world to be at peace, Avatar. I was merely trying to help. My repayment? Humiliation. I couldn't even leave my home for the degradation I was delivered by people whom I once protected. You made me weak in front of my own people. It's only fair I return the favour."

Aangs head left the floor, his body being thrown like a rag doll through the air until he smacked into a marble pillar. He still felt nothing as he was knocked unconscious.

Muffled voices drew him away from the inky black. His eyelids struggled to open as he stirred, groaning with the effort. The voices stopped. Another prick in his neck.

Darkness.

His head was bouncing against something warm and hard. A shoulder? He was being carried? Aang kept his breathing even and eyes closed, focusing on trying to regain some feeling in his own body. A shrill creak made his ears prick up. Metal grinding against stone.

"Chain the water bender to the wall," the man carrying Aang grunted. Shuffling feet, then another squeak of metal against stone. The rattle of chains.

Aangs anger bristled as he thought of Katara being man handled by these brutes, and yet he couldn't summon the Avatar state. It was as if his chakra was blocked somehow. How? Why? What did these men want from him? Why did they take his friends?

Realization struck Aang like a knife through the heart. Leverage. His friends were being used as leverage. Against him. He silently cursed. It was no secret that he had travel companions, their stories sometimes superseding his own. His fists clenched, but he forced them to relax, preferring not to give away that he was awake and slowly regaining control of himself. Knowledge is power, he reminded himself.

"What about the others?" A different man asked.

"Put them in the wooden cell," Aangs captor barked.

"Why not the metal one?" His companion asked incredulously. The man carrying Aang scoffed.

"The blind one may not look tough, but she can bend _metal_." The other man spluttered in disbelief and Aang checked a smirk. "The wooden cell. And be sure to give them an extra dose."

An extra dose of what? Aang recalled the prick in his neck, and the numbness that spread throughout his body. _It must be some kind of toxin…_

Metal scraped against stone once again, his head bouncing against the man's shoulder. Pain radiated from his rib cage where he was kicked. His rib was cracked and he couldn't help a moan of pain. He squeezed his eyes shut as the man picked up the pace, slamming him back first against a cold stone wall as metal manacles clenched around his wrists and ankles.

Squinting an eye open, he noted the small, musty cell he was being held in, as well as his captor. A dark green, almost black, coat with hood covered his bulky frame in shadow.

"What…" Aang slurred, his tongue thick and sticking to the roof of his mouth. His captor stilled, drawing something silver and sharp from inside his coat. With a meaty hand, the man forced Aangs head to the side, exposing his neck and pulse point. Aangs eyes cleared a little as he stared through the metal grate walls of his cell. In the room next to him, Katara was being chained to the stone wall. The man rose after buckling her ankles to the wall, his filthy hands skimming up her legs, to her torso. Rage burned fierce and bright inside of Aang, adrenalin burning off some of the numbness.

He shook against his binding, his captor stepping back in shock. No one had ever burnt off the effects of the drug that fast before. The Avatar opened his mouth…

And roared. His voice reverberated off the stone and metal, the two captors clutching their hands over their ears against the unholy sound.

Aang continued to yell, even when his throat was raw. His captor stepped forward, the silver needle in hand at the ready. Aang summoned some fire, spitting it in the man's face.

A satisfying shriek as it set fire to the man's hood, meaty hands trying desperately to stamp out the flames. Still Aang rattled his chains, desperate to kill the man who touched Katara.

Katara's captor rushed into the cell, snatching the needle out of the burnt man's clutches. He darted forward and plunged it deep into Aangs neck, the effect almost immediate but taking a little longer due to his rage.

As Aangs vision began to blacken and blur, he fixed his killing gaze on Katara's captor.

"Know this," he rasped, the man going a little pale and starting to shake. "You will die by my hand before you touch her again." His voice sounded unearthly, the threat very real.

The scent of urine permeated the air before everything went black.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS! HAPPY NEW YEAR! Hope you all survived the Apocalypse :P Hope you all got spoiled rotten by Santa, you crazy kids! Anyways, here is the new chappy :) I have noticed my chapters have been shorter than usual, but that's only because I am wanting to speed up the story, hence the lack of description... HOWEVER, about a dozen new stories are in the works! :)**

**A MASSIVE** **THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY REVIEWERS, ALERTERS AND FAVORITERS! :) I know that they aren't really words, but... whatchya gonna do? :)**

**Cheers!**

**beemera**

"Hey! You! You with the ugly mug! Come back here and face me like a man!" Toph screeched, ignoring the irony, knuckles white against the wooden cage bars. She _hated_ wood. It was too… _woody_. It made her blind… and helpless. She didn't like feeling helpless. Her 'guard' said nothing, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall, boot on wooden floorboard. The last she remembered was sensing Aang approach Bumi's tomb, then quick as a flash, a dart was implanted in her neck. Before she slumped to the ground, she felt the myriad of vibrations of an ambush shock up her arms but it was too late. He body was numb and useless in seconds.

How had they managed to escape her notice? Was she losing her touch?

_Pssssh, fuck no. I'm as sharp as ever. But… how?_

Toph's clenched fists abused the wooden grate once more, her voice bouncing off the walls, somewhat dampened by the naturally fibrous material.

"WHEN I GET OUTTA HERE… YOU'RE ALL DEAD!"

Toph closed her useless eyes.

_Please let Haru be okay._

Whorls of grey flitted about his vision before his head slumped forward once again. His brow furrowed, a groan slipping past his chapped lips. He tried to move, only to shuffle a little. His body was still relatively numb, the effects of whatever he got shot with fading slowly. A door opened somewhere and he heard a colourful array of swear words echo throughout the room. His head snapped up as the sound was cut off, the door closing again. The movement made the chains rattle against the wood he was manacled to.

_That had to have been Toph…_

Adrenalin surged through Haru, burning off the last effects of the peculiar drug in his system. Cold, biting steel cut across the tender skin of his ankles and wrists, blood seeping and making its steady decent down towards the ground.

His room was dark, damp, musty and cold. All too familiar. Metal scratched harshly against stone and he was bathed in lamp light. He squinted his watering eyes at the suddenness of it, hastily blinking to clear his vision to see his captor. In silence, his captor opened his cell before placing the lamp gently on the ground. Heavy footsteps approached Haru, who was now sneering and growling like a wild animal. Normally a gentle man, Haru had no patience for being held captive, let alone knowing somewhere close by they had his friends, and Toph, captive doing Spirits-knew what.

"_Who the fuck are you? What do you want!_"

His captor remained silent, the darkness shrouding his features. Haru struggled against his chains, the metal unforgivable, blood now in a steady stream from the deep gashes in his wrists. The man withdrew a silver needle from inside of his robes, Haru doubling his efforts to try and hurt the man, but it was hopeless. He wasn't a metal bender like Toph. He silently cursed himself for not asking Toph to teach him how.

"When I get out of here, you're-"

He was cut off by a sharp jab to his neck, the needles plunger sinking down and numbness sweeping through his body until he was slumped unconscious against his bindings.

Without a word, the captor turned on his heel to gather his lamp, the only noise in the room was that of his robes swaying and his leather boots thudding on the stone.

Beneath his hood, the man smiled.

Katara groaned. Her head hurt. Why did it hurt? _Where am I?_

In a rush, she remembered watching Aang tearfully reach out to Bumi, her heart breaking for him, and then she was peppered with darts and she slumped to the ground. Before she faded into the black, her head bounced against white marble, heavy black boots waving in and out of her blurred vision, a familiar booming voice of a man, and then nothing. Panic set in, her body jerking awake only to hear the tinkle of… _chains_? Her eyes cleared, her gaze locked on the metal around her wrists and ankles.

_Can't use my hands or feet. I can't water bend! Oh Spirits… help us._

Whoever had ambushed them at Bumi's tomb knew how to incapacitate benders. Binding their feet and hands. The manacles were imbedded deeply into the rock that scraped against her tender back. She hissed a little, arching her back away from the cold stone. The slight dampness in the air gave away that they were underground. A groan nearby alerted her, her senses heightened in her panicked state. Her eyes darted from left to right.

"Who's there?" She called out. No answer.

Metal groaned, the door to her cell scratching against stone and sending shudders up her back. Light trickled in, illuminating the room enough for her to see she was alone in her cell.

Another moan, to her right. Her head whipped to the side, Katara wincing a little as her muscles protested. A pale, dirty figure was chained to a wall, similar to her. The door opened wider, the light creeping across the ground until it was bright enough for Katara to make out distinctive feature. It was a man, in tattered orange and yellow clothing, his bald head smeared with dirt and caked with dried blood.

Her heart stopped. _Oh Spirits… Aang._

Tears leaked onto her cheeks as her cell was opened but she refused to take her eyes off of Aang. As her eyes made out each individual cut or gash on his body, it was like a knife to her heart.

"Oh, good. You're awake." A deep voice, filled with malice and malcontent, made goosebumps rise on her chilled skin. There was evil in that voice, that eerily _familiar_ voice. Slowly, she turned her head towards her cell door, only tearing her gaze away from Aang at the last moment.

She took in his height, width and heavy, muscular build. Light haloed him, bathing his face in shadow. Her heart thundered in her chest. What do they want with her? What did they plan on doing to Aang? What did they poison her with?

As if reading her mind, the man dug a meaty hand inside of his shirt and withdrew a needle. Katara felt all remaining blood drain from her face. The man in the shadows admired the milky liquid inside of the needle.

"Fascinating, isn't it? My own concoction." Katara could hear the smug smile in his voice. His dirty boots carried him towards Katara, who was now holding her breath in fear. She didn't fear many things, but one thing that rendered her almost catatonic was knowing she was about to be rendered utterly helpless. Dependant. She could hold her own against the _Avatar_, but against this sick individual? Her body was still with fear. Tears continued to streak down her dirty cheeks.

"It's amazing, you know. The saliva of the shirshu can be extremely hard to come by, nearly impossible if you don't have the… _connections_ like I do. Mix it with a few rare mountain herbs and even the smallest amount can make a great bender like the _Avatar_ helpless," he spat. The silver needle glinted in the lame light, a small bead of milky toxin growing on the sharp tip. Katara swallowed the lump of pure fear in her throat, somehow finding her voice, albeit weak and reedy.

"What… what do you w-want with me?" She cursed how small and helpless her voice sounded. The man chuckled, leaning closer until half of his face was illuminated, recognition flashing across Katara's face, following by the feeling of betrayal.

"_You_," she breathed.

Fong smiled. "Yes, my dear. _Me_." The needle plunged into her neck, the numbness almost immediate. In her state of shock, she must have asked a question as to what they wanted from her. Fong smiled and leaned closer until his hot breath snaked across her ear and neck.

She would have vomited from the perverseness of it all had she not been almost completely incapacitated.

"Every man has a weakness, Katara. You are nothing more than a pawn, and when all of this is over, I will break you. And then I will kill you."

Darkness.

Kian sneered down at the blubbering old man in front of him. Fong had somehow managed to complete his mission of capturing the Avatar. A feat worthy of praise, had Kian been the caring-for-others type. But he wasn't. Everything was falling into place. With the White Lotus spread so thin, the Huo Gang had advanced in their regimented attacks against the Earth Kingdom. The capture of the Avatar was the crowing jewel, the final piece on the board that was needed. With the Avatar's death, there was no one to stop him from taking total control. It was perfect. All the little pieces had come into play. Once the Earth Kingdom was in his clutches, his attention would turn towards the Fire Nation. It had gotten weak under Fire Lord Zuko's rule, which is why Kian had only been too happy to employ the Huo Gang and remaining Fire Nation loyalists to his aid. Tease a dog with a bone and he was sure to do whatever you wanted. In this case, it was a 'follow me, do as I say, and you shall have your true homeland back' type of deal. The wailing old man was huddled in on himself at Kian's feet. The simple act of a grown man crying made Kian want to punt him out of the highest palace window. But he didn't. Unfortunately, the old man still had a part to play. The door to Kian's chamber opened, Fong sidling inside and bowing his head, like a good little dog he was.

"You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"

Kian smirked. "Yes. Make sure you pay this man well, for all his troubles. Has the Avatar and his companions been handled properly?"

The old man sobbed louder at the mention. Kian, ever the short tempered, gave a short, sharp kick to the man's ribs, effectively winding him.

"Yes, sir," Fong said, his gaze still glued to the floor, submissive. Just how Kian liked it.

"Good. Prepare the water bender for the final phase," Kian stated, turning on his boot heel and stalking towards his opulent gold throne. A few steps in, he paused and turned to face Fong and the blubbering excuse of a man. He snapped his fingers to gain the Generals attention.

"Oh, and take this sack of bones with you. Make sure, along with his gold, that you return his dead wife's belongings."

Fong bowed low before leaning down to grip the old man beneath his arms, hoisting him upright. The old man raised his tear stained, emerald gaze at Kian. Kian didn't miss the look of pure hatred burning in the man's eyes. Kian smiled, the old man's gaze hardening even further.

"You have done well, Tyro. Betraying the Avatar _and_ your son. A man after my own heart."

Kian smirked as Tyro was dragged away by Fong, settling himself comfortably in his throne and ignoring the fresh outpour of sobs.

_Pathetic_, Kian thought at the soft thud of the closing door echoed in his chamber.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: IT HAS TAKEN ME FOREVER TO UPDATE and I wholeheartedly apologize. Life got in the way but I hope you had an awesome first month of the year 2013 (seriously, isn't time simply flying! :? ) Many, many, _many_ thanks to everyone who had favourited, followed and REVIEWED this story! (*promotes*)**

**This chappy dedicated to the ever wonderfully charismatic Jades One of a Kind! Kind words and an open mind are appreciated :)**

**ENJOY! Cheers!**

**beemera**

Fong darted down the metal stairs towards the prison cells with an unusual grace for a man of his stature. Lamp light flickered as he dashed past, shadows playing on the wall like a dance. He had one goal in mind. Just one, but the repercussions of what he was about to do would go down in history.

His boots made contact with flat stone, his feet knowing the way to the cell he desired. All the prisoners were unconscious, save for one whom he deliberately gave a weak dose of tranquilizer to. He ignored the wooden cell, the unconscious blind earth bender being manhandled by a guard who was uncaring of her limp form. Any glimpse of female flesh was enough to get the perverted male off.

His feet carried him past his main prizes; the Avatar and his water bender lover. They were to be saved for last. No, his goal was a little further ahead trying desperately to pull his chains free from the wall.

His footsteps slowed as he came to a halt at his cell door, the chained man freezing as a shadow splayed across the ground. Fong smirked and opened the door, metal grating against stone as he stepped inside, keeping to the shadows.

"Hello there," he drawled, taking pride in the scowl on the young man's face.

"Fuck off," Haru snarled, his dirty face taking away some of the fierceness in his eyes. Fong tutted and stalked closer, chains pulling taught and rattling against the wall.

"Is that any way to speak to your host?"

"I'm a prisoner, not a guest!" Haru spat, baring his teeth.

Fong chuckled. "You see, that's where you're wrong. What you fail to realise is that you can leave at any time. All you have to do is ask."

Haru eyed the shadowed man dubiously, but decided to play along. "Alright. Let me go?" he asked somewhat cynically.

"You forgot the magic word," the man said in a sing song voice, his tone mocking. Haru clenched his jaw.

"Please," he bit out, the word tasting like vinegar in his mouth.

"Please, what?"

Haru's bare control snapped. "_Let me the fuck out of here you bastard!_"

Fong sighed. "And you were playing along so well. Oh well, never mind. I just came in here to tell you that your father is a traitor, selling you and your friends out to a higher power."

Haru narrowed his eyes on the man. "Liar," he hissed. "My father is an honourable man. He would _never_ betray his family or friends."

Fong laughed, a deep hearty chuckle as if he found the situation truly amusing. He wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh you truly are naïve. Your father sold you out for a few pretty baubles. He's the reason your _girlfriend_ is naked and unconscious at the moment, one of the more… _inventive_ guards watching over her."

Fong felt a small thrill as Haru's face paled at the mention of Toph. She wasn't truly naked and at the mercy of maniacal guards. Not yet, anyway.

"Let. Her. Go," Haru growled. Fong leant forward, an infuriating smirk on his face.

"Or what?"

A muscle ticked in the young earth benders jaw as he ground his teeth. Even he realised that any effort he made right now would be futile. "Mark my words. When I'm free, I'm going to kill you for speaking lowly of my father, for putting my friends through this _hell_ for your sick kicks. I swear it."  
Fong sighed and dug a meaty hand into his pants pocket, withdrawing a length of fine chain and a simple pendant. He swung it into the light, Haru's eyes widening with recognition.

"You recognise this, do you?" Fong muttered, lifting the piece of rough sapphire to his eyes, stroking it lovingly. "Your father had excellent taste, a knack for finding the pure gems. I believe he gave this to your mother when they got engaged?"

Haru watched the stone swing back and forth, his heart suddenly in his stomach. "Where… Where did you get that?"

The necklace was pocketed once again, Fong leaning forward to capture the young earth benders gaze.

"I told you. Your father didn't care for you or your friends. He sold out the Avatar for a mere memento of your dead mother. It seems his memories were more precious than his present gifts."  
Haru's head fell forward so his chin was resting on his chest, his brown hair curtaining his face in shadow as his shoulder began to wrack with sobs. His father… it couldn't be true, could it? The man who had inspired so many, had helped put an end to the tyranny of Fire Lord Ozai and rebuild their village… a traitor?

He willingly sold out the Avatar, let his own _son_ be captured and chained like a dog. His father was the reason Toph was at the mercy of a sick minded individual.

Rage flooded him. Toph. She was somewhere nearby with another man's hands on her. What were they doing to her? His chest heaved with anger, Fong taking a few steps back towards the door, a smug smile on his face.

He had accomplished what he came to do.

"Until next time, young earth bender," Fong promised as he disappeared into the shadows.

Haru's muscles bulged as he strained against his chains. He had never felt so hurt, angry, _betrayed_ in all his life. And by someone who had called him kin.

Haru let out a bellow of pain, both physical and emotional, straining against his bonds, ignoring the blood seeping from his wrists. He was completely blind to his emotions, numb to the pain and deaf to the sounds of rushing feet that signalled guards approaching, tranquilizer in hand.

His cell door scraped open, a metal syringe in one guards hand, aimed for Haru's neck.

Clarity came in the midst of rage, Haru pulling tight on his manacles until they gave under the pressure, bending to his will. The guards rushed forward, swords and syringe in hand.

Bending the metal off his skin, Haru wrapped the metal chain around the closest guards throat, clenching his fist to tighten the bindings, a satisfying crack of the man's neck echoing in the chamber.

Haru faced the other two guards, fear in their eyes and retribution in his own. Stomping on the ground, Haru shook the earth beneath their feet, throwing them off guard and into the metal cell bars.

Darting forward, Haru clamped the metal around the two dizzy guards, clenching tightly until they fought for breath. Haru left them there, his rage too great.

His only thought was to free his friends, to free Toph and find his father and force him to explain. Haru stalked out of his mangled cell, digging his fingers into the metal door as if it were nothing but a cushion. He tore the door off its hinges, ripping the metal in half as he wrapped it around his fists. He glanced around, dim light from one end of the dank hallway his beacon to light his way.

He strode towards it, anger swirling in his chest. He rounded a corner, not pausing at the sight of a few more guards now scrabbling to attack the escaped prisoner. They would never have suspected Haru to trigger his ability to metal bend.

Haru's metal clad fist connected with the closest guards face, crushing his skull in a single blow, blood spraying the walls. He repeated the assault, dispatching the pathetic excuses for human life that dared harm his friends, harm Toph.

A little ways up, a wooden cell door opened, the guard rushing out with a scowl on his face and fire in his hands. Haru eyed his newest opponent. He froze as he realized the man's pants were unbuckled, the wooden cell he came out of surely only holding a single prisoner.

Haru blacked out from rage.

When he came to, burns marred his chest and biceps, the crushed visage of the fire bender unrecognisable beneath his metal fist. Shedding the armour, Haru stood and scrabbled backwards, staring at his hands in horror. Bile threatened to rise but he quashed it, his eyes scanning the immediate area. Toph's cell door was singed and splintered, the wood sprayed further down the hall. Haru rushed to the entrance, terrified of what he might find. Was he too late? What had that guard done to her?

His eyes searched in the dim light until they fell on a half-naked form curled in the corner. His heart sank as he darted forward, his feet thumping against the wood. Had Toph been awake, she probably would have beaten him for making so many vibrations to distort her sight.

He knelt beside her, searching for the tell-tale blood on her thighs that accompanied rape. With shaking hands, he gently pried her legs apart, the tattered and torn clothing hiding little. He almost cried with relief as he found nothing. He had managed to stop the man in time. His eyes rose to her angelic face, so peaceful in sleep as he brushed a strand of raven hair from her face.

"Toph? Wake up."

He gently shook her shoulder, her head lolling from side to side.

"Toph? _Toph!_"

In desperation he slapped her, instantly hating himself but actions forgotten as her eyes flew open. He opened his mouth to say something, only to have her fist connect, knocking him back on his ass. She scrabbled to her feet to dart past him, Haru's arms rising to wrap around her torso.

"No! _Let me go you bastard!_"

"Toph! It's me!"

Toph stilled, her blind eyes wide. "Haru?"

"Yes, you idiot!" His arms loosened around her waist as she spun and flung her arms around his neck, her lips meeting his in a frenzied kiss. She drew back and slapped him hard, a scowl on her face.

"What the hell took you so fucking long?"  
Haru smirked as he rubbed his red cheek. Oh yeah, she was fine. He reached down and grabbed her hand, leading her towards the stone so she could see. He watched with amusement as she almost sobbed with relief the moment her bare feet touched the earth, her eyes widening a second later as she no doubt found the bodies of the guards Haru had dispatched.

"Haru. What-"

"We need to get moving," he said gruffly, turning on his heel towards Aang and Katara's cells. After a moment's hesitation she followed, deftly avoiding anything made of now-dead flesh on the floor.

The first cell was Aang's which Haru made quick work of as Toph released Katara. Both were in no better shape than either earth bender. Slinging the tranquilized Avatar over his shoulder, Haru exited the cell to find Toph hauling a larger Katara out, the water benders feet making tracks through the dirty floor.

"Which way?" Haru asked, his voice bouncing off the stone walls. Toph brought a bare foot down, a slight shockwave tingling up his spine as the earth vibrated around them. Top turned her head to the right, back towards the only exit.

"This way," she said, hefting Katara further up her shoulders. "Damn Sugar Queen. What the hell have you been eating?" Toph grunted as she jogged beside Haru. Haru couldn't supress his chuckle, despite the carnage around them.

"Is there any more guards?" Haru asked as they came to a metal staircase. Toph shook her head.

"Mustn't be time for shift change yet," she added absently, ascending the stairs. Close to the top, Toph tilted backwards as Katara's foot caught beneath one step, Haru's hand flying out to clutch the front of her ruined shirt to steady her.

"Uh… Stud? Not that I don't like you feeling me up or anything, but I think you can let go now. Something about a prison escape…?"  
Haru cleared his throat and released her shirt, the twisted fabric directly over her breasts smoothing back into place. Toph smirked in his general direction before she ascended the last few steps, Haru trudging behind. Making quick work of the metal door, albeit awkwardly, Toph led Haru through a series of rough tunnels, the gentle rise making their leg muscles burn beneath the weight of their wards.

After a few minutes, Toph abruptly stopped, her hand shooting out to stroke the stone wall beside her. Haru readjusted Aang onto his other shoulder, rotating his now stiff one as Toph drew back her arm and clenching a fist, swinging it to come into contact with the solid stone to blow a hole through the earth. Fresh air rushed inside, light almost blinding Haru but Toph was unaffected as she darted outside into a vast stone courtyard. After a moment of blinking his watery eyes, Haru followed, ducking to squeeze through the pint sized opening.

Toph was thoughtful enough to wait for him, although the scowl on her face was a bit disheartening.

Once in the bright light of day, Haru bent to divulge Toph of Katara, hefting her onto his free shoulder so they could move quicker.

"Show off," the Blind Bandit grumbled as she ran towards the outer stone wall of the courtyard. Glancing back, Haru wasn't as shock as he should be to look upon Omashu's palace. He frowned and slowed his pace.

"Toph! Wait!"

The blind earth bender slowed her pace, growling with frustration as she ran back to her lover, reaching up to tug on his arm.

"Hurry up, thick head! We can't stay in the open too long!"

"That's just it, Toph. There's no… there's no guards along the walls."  
Toph frowned, shifting her foot a little to scan the area. "But… I _know_ we're at the palace. Where are all the guards?"

Haru began shuffling backwards, pulling Toph with him. "Something isn't right. We've got to move."

With a stiff nod, Toph ran alongside a weighed down Haru towards the outer wall.

Suddenly, a burst of flame erupted in front of them, Haru awkwardly reaching out to snatch Toph back before she got burnt severely. Toph let out a shriek of pain as the flames licked at her feet, scalding but not burning as the earth rolled beneath them, sending them both sprawling. Haru lost grip of the Avatar and the water bender, both skidding along the stones, their blood smearing a trail after them. Haru scrabbled over to Toph who was whimpering a little, clutching her red feet.

"Toph! Are you okay?"

She whirled angry mist green eyes on him. "Of course I'm not fine! My _feet_ are _burnt!_ What the fuck!"

A ring of fire flared around the four companions, Haru's eyes darting wildly to locate the enemy. Since Toph's sight had been all but nullified, Haru had to rely on his own visuals but the smoke and flame made it difficult to see beyond them.

A series of sharp stings shot up his spine and plugged into his neck, Haru swatting at the paper thin needles now lodged in his flesh. He turned just in time to see Toph being dealt the same treatment. A mocking male voice boomed around the stone courtyard, putting the earth benders immediately on edge.

"Amazing, isn't it? Chi points blocked from a distance."  
Haru squatted and touched the ground, lifting to attempt to make a pillar above the flames. Nothing happened. He frowned as the male laughed at his futile attempts.

"I can't… Haru, I can't see!" Toph twisted her head back and forth, her blind eyes wide with fear. Her sight and earth bending had just been taken from her, leaving her utterly helpless. He back towards her until she felt his leg, her nails digging into his calf muscle as he searched around him.

The earth rolled again, tossing Aang and Katara into the air a little, their limps forms crashing back onto the stone. Haru braced himself, careful to not fall on top of Toph.

"Who are you? What the fuck do you want with us?" Haru bellowed above the hissing flames. His skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, the heat making the air near stifling.

As fast as they had flared, the flames disappeared, clean and cool air rushing over his skin as he took a deep, appreciative breath. Toph was still clinging to his leg.

On the edges of the blackened stone, almost two dozen soldiers stood, some wielding fire, some with chunks of rock floating above their hands.

Haru grit his teeth. A few soldiers stepped aside to reveal the same man that had entered Haru's cell before, telling him of his father's betrayal. Haru snarled menacingly, which the man found amusing.

"Oh dear. It seems you've escaped. How… troublesome," the man mused.

Haru gnashed his teeth. "Let us go, and I'll let you live."

The man let out a soft chuckle. "I don't believe you are in a position to make threats, _boy_." The fire benders flames flared, their bloodlust near palpable. The man strode casually forward towards the unconscious forms of Aang and Katara, kicking them both over onto their backs harshly. Haru checked a flinch at the harsh handling, he was powerless to stop the man.

The man reached down and snagged the front of Katara's tunic, hefting her up and tossing her towards the feet of the closest soldier before dealing the same fate to Aang. "Take those to the King."  
The soldiers scrabbled to do their leaders bidding, the man holding Katara taking extra care to smooth her clothing over her body with a twisted smirk before they disappeared, taking the Avatar and the water bender with them. Haru clenched his fists. Nails dug into his skin as Toph screamed, Haru whirling around to snatch her back from the soldier who snatched her by her hair.

A few other guards leapt forward, fists flying into Haru's jaw and boots ripping his arms free from Toph's body, kicking him to his knees before the leader.

"Let me go you mother fucker!" Toph screeched, fists and feet trying to connect with any part of her captors anatomy. A dagger at her throat made her freeze.

Haru held his aching jaw, glaring up at the man whose shadow cut out the sunlight.

"What do you want?" Haru snapped, wincing as his jaw cracked.

The man smiled. "If you want her to live, you'll do what I say and nothing more. Agreed?"  
"_Don't do it Haru! Don't- ARGH!"_

Haru glanced back in time to see a gash on Toph's chest by her collarbone, her blood soaking into her already filthy clothes. He closed his eyes, hanging his head in defeat. Facing the man again, he made sure to open eyes filled with pure hatred.

"What do you want me to do?"

The man smiled. "Tell me what you know about our _beloved King Kian._"


End file.
